The Yellow Jacket Newspaper
Issue 9
February 29, 2008
Front Page
Opinions
Features
Politics
Culture
Sports
Phi Kap Returns to R-MC
After Six Years, Phi Kappa Sigma is Recruiting Again
by Catherine Noyes ‘09
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On March 5, 2008, Phi Kappa Sigma will begin pre-colonization activities, with the hope of reestablishing an active chapter on the R-MC campus. The reopening of the Tau Chapter is a joint effort of local Tau alumni, the Phi Kappa Sigma headquarters and the R-MC Office of Greek Life.
The chapter was originally removed from R-MC in January 2002. This was a mutual decision made by local alumni, headquarters and the College when it was determined that the chapter was having a difficult time adjusting to the national and newly-implemented dry policy.
In May 2007, Phi Kap received approval to expand to campus upon the conclusion of fraternity recruitment this Spring. This approval was granted after presentations were made to the Greek Advisory Board and the Inter Fraternity Council. These groups had a few initial concerns regarding an additional fraternity on campus, but ultimately gave very positive recommendations for the return of Phi Kap.
National President Joe Moidl states, “Phi Kappa Sigma has made a commitment to reestablishing chapters where we have had chapters in the past. Randolph Macon is truly a great institution whose values align with those of our Fraternity. We are excited about the opportunity to once again create a local institution that makes the local community better through its commitment to the ideals of both Randolph Macon and the Phi Kappa Sigma Fraternity.”
The next step for Phi Kappa Sigma is to hold informational sessions and to recruit the founding fathers of the chapter. These will take place on March 5, at 6:30 PM in the Brown Campus Center and 9:00 PM in the Koffman Gallery. Several students have already expressed interest in becoming a part of the fraternity.
When Phi Kap fully reestablishes their chapter at R-MC, they will live in what is currently the International House. They occupied this house prior to 2002, and one of the conditions when they sold the house to R-MC was that should the chapter ever return, they would be able to return to that house.
Even though the fraternity was not on campus for a few years, the alumni remained active in the area and with R-MC. This includes a scholarship fund that is administered by Randolph-Macon.
Phi Kap Executive Director Hamilton Smith states, “We couldn’t be more pleased with the support we’ve received from the University and local alumni and look forward to bringing Phi Kappa Sigma back to Randolph-Macon’s campus.”
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Questions Raised at the Forum
Housing, Smoking Discussed at Presidential Forum
by Jen Green ‘10
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On February 19, 2008, a Presidential forum was held in the campus center to give students an opportunity to express their concerns on campus. There to answer questions was not only President Lindgren, but various other high-standing officials of the college.
It came as a surprise to me that there was such a wide variety of issues being brought up by students on campus. I learned more than I ever expected about the campus in which I live just from the questions being asked. For example, one of the big issues brought up was the use of Chartwells as our food provider. We have a ten year contract with Chartwells, which will be up in one year, at which time a committee would be formed to decide whether or not to stick with Chartwells. A student proposed that students should be allowed to have a say in this committee, and although the board was open to the idea, no definite answer was given as to whether or not that’s what would happen.
There was a lot of referring to the “Master Plan” during the forum, and it appeared to me that that frustrated many students. There is a long term plan to build more special interest housing, but students were worried that our school was headed toward not being able to guarantee housing to all students just as large universities can’t. President Lindgren did mention that there is a possibility that some of the Mullen Drive houses may become available to students because the faculty that were supposed to live there may have other living arrangements. Again, not defi nite, but there is still partial hope for Senior Housing on Mullen Drive.
Provost Johnston also asked everyone to “Help students become more academically engaged.” The freshman class is growing, but 125 students were lost from last fall. Some students took the Provost’s comment to state that the college was relying too heavily on student organizations to pull students out of the water when they struggle their freshman year. The point was made that having that many students not return does help with housing, but that doesn’t help the reputation of the college. The admissions offi ce encounters great diffi culty when trying to fi gure out how many students to admit to the college each year. They can’t accept too many because the college has a limited number of resources. They also have to take into account that not everyone they accept will enroll, and that not everyone will make it through all four years of college.
A very frustrating topic was the state of Mary Branch. The living conditions are below standards, and President Lindgren recognizes that. Students were not very pleased with his comment: “We hope we will get funding to renovate Mary Branch.” Students want something done about the dorm now, and it doesn’t look like any major plans are in store for the near future. Take a look at that Master Plan though. If and when that goes into effect, there’s hope that the next generation of R-MC students won’t have to live in the bad conditions of Mary Branch.
I was also surprised to learn that students will eventually have individual mailboxes to ensure confidentiality. Some students said that the money was needed much more elsewhere, while others appreciated the plan for privacy.
Drama and music majors were also present to voice their concerns of having to call campus safety to enter into buildings late at night, while Copley is open 24/7. The board acknowledged that, but also brought up the issue of security. A discussion of security led to one of safety, and we were informed that there is a siren being installed that will be able to be heard from anywhere on campus. What that siren will mean when it goes off is yet to be determined, but that is a step that the college is taking towards safety. The student alert system that makes students aware when there is a crisis has been a success in that 57% of students have signed up.
Lastly, the president got a lot of questions about the Yellow Jackets that were painted on the Henry Street, specifically why $36,000 is being spent on them. The president responded: “We are trying to increase our visibility around VA and outside VA.” He also mentioned that a lot of other colleges have added decals to their main roads too to add to the college-town feel. Students like the yellow jackets, but were just shocked that they cost as much as they did.
Although some students walked away from the forum slightly frustrated with the “Master Plan” being the main answer to many of the questions asked, the time spent was far from wasted. I commend the board for coming out and answering questions. The students are sometimes the toughest crowd to face, but we can also be the most important advice givers since we are the ones living with the decisions being made. More forums like these will help to open the communication between students and the college, which will make Randolph- Macon a better place for everyone.
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Letters to the Editor
A New RHA Policy? That’s Smokin’
by Michael Jarvis
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Smoking has consistently been a hot topic of debate and discussion across America. It has been highly scrutinized because of issues involving health risks, people and business’s right of choice, and if for no other reason, because either way the outcome is decided, someone is going to lose. If smokers are allowed to smoke where they wish, non-smokers protest that they have to endure being exposed to second-hand smoke, and if smoking areas are limited, smokers protest that their right to smoke where they choose is being infringed upon. To date, all fifty states, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, have some form of a smoking ban in place except for Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Michigan, Iowa and Alabama. Today the issue has moved from state-wide debates to the Center of the Universe.
Recently, the Resident Hall Association here at R-MC took up the debate about smoking around dormitories on campus. Many non-smokers felt they unfairly had to walk through smoke constantly when they entered and exited dormitories because of smokers sitting at dormitory entrances. The question of eliminating the possibility of smoking directly in front dormitory entrances was posed. After the topic had been debated, the Residence Life and Housing Office did some research and found that many other colleges have existing rules in place which state that smoking is not permitted within a certain distance from their campus’s dormitories. This information was passed on to the RHA body and as a result of this a resolution was drafted and voted on which declared that smoking within twenty-fi ve feet of campus dormitories was to be banned. RHA created a second resolution which was to follow the first. Its purpose was to create places for smokers to smoke out of the weather and be able to dispose their cigarette butts. This by no means established the resolution as law in Fish Tales and on R-MC’s campus. It merely reflected some students’ desire for this action to occur and it was passed on to the school’s administration to be reviewed. After being submitted to the administration it was presented to the Student Government Association and the idea was pitched to the student body. SGA supported the measure and the first RHA resolution has come into effect in Fish Tales. Due to the cost of the second resolution it has not been passed, but discussion about it continues.
I personally support this measure because I am not a smoker and do not enjoy walking through clouds of smoke when I enter and exit dorms on campus. However, several of my friends do smoke and have made complaints about the way in which this whole matter has been carried out; and that, I do believe, is not an unfounded complaint. I realize that smokers have cause to be angry about having no defined place to smoke or facing the possibility of having to smoke in the middle of the rain. Despite this, the fact remains that smoking causes health problems and second hand smoke is just as deadly as someone smoking themselves. Therefore, I believe that those students that choose not to smoke should not have to be continually exposed to smoke around dormitories. Smokers not having smoking stations are only temporary. As far as I am concerned, the health of our students is much more important than the convenience of having a covered place to smoke in the off chance it rains. If you have concerns about this policy or any other matter with housing on campus, please come to the RHA meeting every Monday evening at 5:45 pm in the Topping Room in Old Chapel to voice your opinion.
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Letters to the Editor
The Time for Apathy has Passed
by Megan Rash
R-MC Student
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No one can deny that something crazy is happening to the weather.
When I think of January, I typically recall images of icicles, frosted trees, snow powdered across the ground, and temperatures in the mid thirties. If it weren’t for the calendar, I never would have known that January had just passed.
Over the past few years we have seen winters getting warmer, storms becoming stronger, sea levels rising, and droughts becoming more common and severe.
Scientists agree that these problems are being caused by global climate change. And it may be up to college students to lead the fi ght to stop it.
So what exactly is causing global warming? Greenhouse gases -- mostly from cars, factories, and power plants -- trap the sun’s heat inside the earth’s atmosphere, keeping our planet artificially warm. If temperatures keep rising at an unchecked rate, it will continue to make our weather more extreme.
Around the world we already see the effects of global warming: polar ice caps melting at an alarming rate, record high temperatures, and rising sea levels.
Here in Virginia climate change means more intense hurricanes, wetter winter storms, and drier, hotter summers. These changes will have a big impact on our economy, environment, and overall quality of life.
So what can college students do to stop this from happening?
As individuals, everyone can change the bulbs in lamps and light fi xtures to long-lasting, energy saving fl uorescent bulbs. Also choosing to drive hybrid cars will help cut down on pollution.
At many schools across the country students have been able to get the administration to sign onto to the Presidents Climate Commitment. Under this agreement university and college presidents pledge to reduce emissions and have their campus become carbon neutral. Getting your school to be carbon neutral is a goal for everyone on campus who cares about stopping global warming.
Students can also demand that colleges and universities invest and work with companies who are taking steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. This is a way of recognizing and rewarding those companies who are working to protect the environment.
As a part of the Greek Community, I would also suggest that we make a movement to reduce our impact on the environment and the carbon footprint of RMC and encourage other students to do the same. Greek Life can do this simply by switching to more energy efficient lightbulbs in Greek Housing.
Finally, the easiest way to make a difference in your community is by writing your congressman. Writing Congressman Cantor, who is the representative for the district in which Randolph-Macon College is located, will notify him of your concern and encourage legislative action. You can fax Congressman Cantor at 202.225.0011 or send letters to 329 Cannon Building, Washington, DC 20515.
Outside of campus, students can join the larger growing movement of people committed to stopping global warming. A coalition of business leaders, clergy, and civic leaders are calling on our elected offi cials to pass legislation that limits greenhouse gas emissions and allows market forces to identify solutions for meeting the cap.
Tackling an issue as vast as global warming may seem daunting, especially considering the sluggish pace at which it is addressed in our Congress. However, let’s not forget that Virginia has a great history of student activism: from the student sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement to demanding that their universities condemn from the South African government during the Apartheid movement. Currently students are raising awareness on the need to end the genocide in Darfur.
You have probably heard a million times that students are the leaders of tomorrow. That is a nice way of saying that you will have to be the ones who solve problems like global warming. So you can either go forward and address this growing problem, or miss an opportunity to protect our environment. The choice is ours.
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Spotlight on:
The International Interest Group
by Katie Green ‘11
Staff Writer
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The International Interest Group (IIG) is joined by students of many international cultures and any R-MC student, staff, or faculty can become a member. Members have enjoyed many great events as part of the IIG, including Epicurean Night out with the IIG,” "Macon Milkshake Days in May,” Europa Tapas Bar Restaurant In Richmond, and the Lunar New Year Celebration.
Saskia Le is the current President and Mayumi is her Advisor. Mayumi helps IIG members to be more effective in communication with other members, including Saskia, in putting together an agenda and timeline for the group’s meetings and events. Saskia and the members are helping to organize the MOAN (Macon Out All Night) event, an event that intends to “move your body around the world.” The MOAN event will include a performance from a Japanese rock band from Maryland and a diverse variety of allnight music, decorations, and international foods. Saskia would like this event to be the biggest, most successful MOAN event this school has ever seen!
Another exciting event the IIG is putting together is the trip to Washington D.C. for the Cherry Blossom Festival, which will include the 48th Annual Sakura Matsuri-- Japanese Street Festival. The festival holds a number of daily cultural performances by local, national and international entertainers. A parade for the National Cherry Blossom Festival will also be going on with Japanese and American dance and drumming teams who will be performing taiko drumming.
The IIG is also helping to organize the Leadership Summit which will be coming up in a couple of months. Mayumi wants as many people as possible to join and partake in active roles in the group. It will be held from April 4th to April 6th at the Makemie Woods Camp & Conference Center in Williamsburg, Virginia. Students who participate in the Leadership Summit will be able to get away from campus for a weekend and have the opportunity to listen in on, as well as participate in, fun leadership events with other R-MC students. Events will include a Bonfi re Talent Show hosted by Pearson Hill; a session of Greek Values Institute in encouraging students to become more involved in Greek Life as well as other organizations that will help them in their intellectual, ethical, and personal growth as leaders; Advanced Leadership Topics; and a Superhero Masquerade Dance Party.
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Former Governor Mark Warner Speaks at R-MC
by Jes Kuehn ‘08
Copy Editor
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Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner visited Randolph-Macon this Monday in an effort to share his positions with college students and listen to their opinions. His speech was hosted in Washington Franklin with predominately political science majors from a political communications course in the audience. Mr. Warner is a Democratic Senate candidate for the upcoming election.
The majority of Mr. Warner’s speech focused on his vision for Virginia and for the United States. He discussed the issues he had faced as Virginia’s Governor, as well as the reasons for his success. Before the main campaigning of the 2008 presidential candidates, some suggested that Warner should make a bid. In addressing this, Warner stated that he had given a campaign for presidency much consideration, but that he and his family had decided against running. Warner claims that he has no regrets. After all, instead of going door to door before the New Hampshire primary election, he had the overwhelming delight of escorting his youngest daughter and her friends to the Hannah Montana concert!
The take-away theme from Warner’s presentation was that innovation and cooperation is required in our government. He explained the importance of working with both Democrats and Republicans in Washington. Warner proposed plans for improving fuel efficiency and a withdrawal from foreign oil, which will require the support of the government, businesses, and citizens. He commented on the country’s infrastructure, including roads, railways, and mass transportation. Warner declared the need for fiscal reform and financial responsibility in the government. A greater percentage of our GDP must be used for research and development, especially in alternate fuel development. But, overall, the leaders of America must trust the American people. American leaders must revitalize the nation, encourage innovation, and ensure that the United States retains its competitive spirit.
Following his presentation, Warner opened the floor for questions. Most of the questions asked by students demonstrated a primary concern with the state of our environment. The questions generally involved the development of alternative fuels, convincing businesses to act, and ways in which leaders can get American citizens involved in this process. Mr. Warner was eager to answer students’ questions, and continually reiterated the importance of our generation.
Overall, the discussion with Mark Warner was a successful experience for the students. He requested student opinions on many current pressing issues, and commented on his own positions. Warner left the students with a strong sense of his desire to cooperate with all members of government and to listen to diverse opinions. He firmly believes that the United States is the best nation in the world, but claims that we will need to take action now in order to keep it that way.
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Senior Spotlights:
Trang Le
by Hahn Le ‘11
Staff Writer
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“Many things have changed back home since I left for college. My city, Hanoi, has also gotten more crowded with people and traffi cs. However, Hanoi is still as charming and lovely as ever.” Not having been home for three and a half years, Trang was very excited to tell about her trip to visit her parents and friends in Vietnam this past January.
Trang Le, originally from Vietnam, is a member of Class of 2008. Trang doubles-majors in Accounting and International Studies and minors in Economics. Trang participates in numerous activities on campus. She was the president of the International Interest Group for 2 years, an Orientation Leader, an active member of Macon Peer Response, and a sister of AGD.
Trang expresses a great love and gratitude to her professors. She said “They always amaze me of their dedication for teaching and learning. Each and every one of them has made a certain impact in my life.” Her favorite class was the Senior Seminar for International Studies with Dr. Turner and Dr. Pfitzner last spring. Trang wrote a paper on the influence of the Association of South East Asian Nations on the trade growth of its members. It was ultimately a study of the effects of globalization on this area’s trade activities. The class was one of the most challenging classes she has taken at R-MC but she learned a lot from the professors and her classmates.
After 4 years at R-MC, Trang is most proud of the connections she has made with her professors, staff members, and fellow students. These connections have helped her a lot during her time here and made R-MC a home away from home. After graduating, Trang is going to obtain her Master’s degree in Accounting at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. Then, she plans to go back to Vietnam and to become a forensics/ fraud auditor. She has always wished to contribute to Vietnam’s fast economic growth using the knowledge and skills she has gained in the U.S. Anyone on campus can see Trang as an active, leading, friendly and smart girl. With me, she is a great mirror, whom I admire and from whom I have learned much.
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Randolph-Macon Goes Green
by Laura Wilson ‘10
Staff Writer
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Behind the scenes, Randolph-Macon College has been busy creating a greener campus. Among the more environmentally friendly improvements are new windows with insulating glass in some of the residence halls, a transition from regular oil to cleaner natural gas, replacement of incandescent light bulbs with the more efficient fluorescent alternatives, and of course, the new paper recycling program.
You have probably seen the big green bins with yellow decals reading, “R-MC Mixed Paper Recycling – No Plastic Bags,” around campus alerting you to the change. Randolph- Macon has just recently been equipped to recycle almost all paper on campus. According to Tom Dwyer, the Director of Operations at the Physical Plant, “Virtually any kind of paper is acceptable with the exception of garbage, paper plates and cups, paper towels and tissues, carbon paper, food wrappers, and Styrofoam.”
The green bins are located in the dorms and most of the academic buildings and have rolling wheels for convenience in transportation. Accompanying the bins are smaller white cardboard boxes on each floor of the residence halls, and residents can conveniently place their paper recycling (sans plastic bags) inside them. The housing staff is in charge of emptying them into the larger green bins, which will in turn be picked up by Weyerhaeuser, the contracted recycling company.
Previously, the paper recycling program on campus was much more limited. The housekeepers placed white paper into clear plastic bags to separate it from the regular trash. Members of the campus organization Students for Environmental Action (SEA) were responsible for collecting much of the recycling, but it was proving difficult to manage across the entire campus. Most residence halls were not equipped with bins unless individual resident assistants took the initiative to implement and oversee them. The most prominent paper bins were those in the library, which were occasionally emptied into the proper receptacle in Physical Plant by members of SEA.
Christine Ebert, president of SEA, met with several college officials to discuss the details of this new program and other environmental improvements on campus. Planning for the program began after requests from President Lindgren. Tom Dwyer, who has had a large role in overseeing the program’s implementation, stated, “We do ask for everybody’s patience in getting up and running.”
R-MC will receive compensation for the recycling from Weyerhaeuser. Therefore, your participation in the new program by simply recycling your used paper is essential in helping to protect our resources and in turn to support our school during its transition into a greener campus.
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Movie Review:
Jumper
by Alexa Tellez-Mansy ‘11
Staff Writer
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Does the new action flick Jumper, starring Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, and Rachel Bilson, truly give its action junkie audience the adventure they crave? The previews for this movie depict Hayden Christensen as a teleporting hero who joins forces with comedic relief Jamie Bell and love interest Rachel Bilson on a riveting adventure to stop villain Samuel L. Jackson from hunting teleporters or jumpers. The movie starts out with an introduction of how the main character, David Rice (Christensen), realizes his ability to teleport. Picked on by school bullies, “rice bowl” as they referred to him, befriended a popular girl, Millie (Bilson). Once he realizes his power of teleporting, David chooses to run away from his life with his strict father. From then on, David uses his powers to explore the world, by jumping from place to place. Each place holds a new experience or adventure in store for him. Eventually he catches the attention of Roland (Jackson) referenced as a paladin (one who kills jumpers). David also catches the attention of another jumper; England native Griffin (Bell). David makes a return to his small town of Ann Arbor when he realizes Roland is after him. Upon his reunion with his love interest Millie, David invites her to travel with him to Rome. The rest of the movie picks up speed when David encounters danger in Rome. David and Griffin end up joining forces against the paladins. From here the movie leads viewers into a somewhat played out action adventure of good versus evil. Diane Lane makes two brief appearances as David’s mother who deserted David when he was a young child. Mary (Lane) provides a somewhat suspected twist at the end of the movie.
The movie has pretty impressive cinematography considering all the amazing places David jumps to. It contains all the expected elements involved in any good action movie: adventure, triumph over evil and of course an attractive love interest. Although Jumper plays up to these common features, it does have something to grip an audience. Griffin provides a likeable, humorous character to balance the otherwise trying-too-hard-to-be-serious David. The ending fell short of my expectations. Besides the disappointing ending, I would still recommend the movie. However I would also provide a warning that Jumper is an entertaining movie, but the only thing it shares with a legendary action movie such as The Bourne Identity would be its director.
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Crisis in the Congo
by Tommy Proffi tt ‘11
Staff Writer
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From 1998 until 2003, the Congolese government forces and rebels, backed by Uganda and Rwanda, waged war in The African Congo. Despite a peace accord that was intended to end the conflict in 2003, there is still fighting and many people are still feeling its effects.
Although there have been attempts at peace, the country is still relatively unstable and around 5.5 million people have died, either as a direct result of violence or from malnutrition and disease. Millions more have been displaced by militias who are attempting to control the Congo’s natural resources.
With such a high death toll, the conflict in the Congo is being called the worst war since World War II.
What’s worse are the atrocities faced by the innocents caught in the crossfire. Roughly 30,000 children were torn away from their families and forced to fight for either the government or the rebels. With the threat of death looming over these children’s heads, most had no choice but to fight. After they joined, many were given drugs by their captures so they would be able to kill. Now, many of these former child soldiers are still fighting or attempting to re-integrate themselves back into society; a task that, for some, is seemingly impossible.
Children are not alone in their plight; according to Unicef, the Democratic Republic of The Congo has the highest number and most brutal cases of rape in the world. In a report by Dateline NBC, one woman, whose identity was concealed for her protection, told her tragic story. Not only was she forced to witness the murder of her family, but she was also dragged into the forest and raped for two days by countless soldiers. Her body was so ravaged that she was unable to stand after the ordeal. Doctors are attempting to alleviate any long term effects, but her womb is so badly torn that she may never fully recover.
There are many organizations trying to help the people of Africa. Unicef, HEAL Africa, International Rescue Committee and many others are all donating time and money to try to stop these injustices. Those interested in helping can visit any of these organizations’ websites to sign up or make a donation. Of course,00000 the biggest problem faced by these organizations is a lack of knowledge. Most Americans have no idea that these kinds of acts are being committed. Once we all see and acknowledge that these people need help, the healing can begin
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Education? More Like Lack Thereof
by Troy Carter ‘08
Staff Writer
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If you have a spare moment, go over to John McCain’s website and look at “Education” under the heading of “Issues”. It’s there, I swear. It’s just hidden with “Environment” and other things about which he doesn’t have an actual policy. You may even want to watch the embedded video, even though it’s just him reading the text of the page to you (proving that he isn’t a product of American public schools). My favorite part is the expression on his face at the end as he’s about to turn to his lobbyist girlfriend to say “that is what you wanted me to say, right?”
Alright, everyone finished with that? Did you notice anything that was missing? Gold stars for those of you who said “an education policy.” If we were playing “educational buzzword bingo”, John McCain would have a full card. Unfortunately, we’re holding a presidential election and Johnny Mac is going to have to be a little more concrete than abstract promises for “choice” and emphasis on “character building education”. Admittedly, John McCain is not an expert in the field of education. It falls in with the economy and other areas that he’s decided presidents don’t need to know about. Americans should demand that their presidential candidates at least pretend to have solutions to domestic issues. The only real policy put forward by McCain is the continuation of No Child Left Behind.
No Child Left Behind, referred to as either “NCLB” or “That $#&*ing Law” by most educators has been plaguing public schools for nearly seven years now. While having an admirable goal, ensuring that every American child receives a quality education, NCLB forces teachers to structure their classes around very limited sets of competencies. As a result, more important skills are occasionally lost in the mix, and while the high stakes end of the year test makes sure that students know the Volga from the Dnieper River, it neglects to test the finer details. Like whether or not they can string together an intelligible sentence. John McCain pays lip service to this failing plan on his website, but another candidate uses his website to suggest how we might reform the act to build a more effective education system. Hint: It’s not Mike Huckabee.
I’d suggest that you go to the Barack Obama website to look at his education plan, but you might end up being there for awhile, so we’ll assign that as homework instead. In sharp contrast to the McCain website, the Obama website offers a clear outline of specific problems facing education today and specific plans on how to address those problems. It also offers a brief synopsis of what Senator Obama has done to advocate education, a section that was mysteriously missing from the more “experienced” McCain’s website (maybe because, outside of the intelligent design debate, McCain has steered clear of education policy since 1999). The Obama reforms would reevaluate how money is distributed by NCLB. Namely, it would end the practice of withholding funds from the schools that need them the most. Unlike John McCain’s amorphous school choice plan to get students out of failing schools, Obama offers something greater: a series of plans to make failing schools succeed.
In addition to reforming the catastrophic failures of NCLB, Barack Obama seems to be the only candidate who has made an important realization about education: it isn’t limited to Kindergarten through 12th Grade. This is why his plan includes an increase in Head Start education, as well as a plan to make college affordable; including a scholarship program for teachers and improved college loans. Adopting any part of the Obama plan could greatly improve the quality of life for many Americans. Implementing the entire plan could completely reinvigorate a struggling American education system.
There are very few issues that are more important to the future of this country than the education of our children. If Barack Obama continues to ride his momentum to the Democratic nomination, Americans will have a very clear choice on this issue in November. It will be the choice between the candidate who says “Yes we can and here’s how we will” or the candidate who says “I don’t get it.”
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Getting Smart About Education
by Ross James ‘09
Political Editor
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The K-12 public education system in this country is by and large mediocre. For the greatest nation in the history of the Earth (that’s the U.S. for any liberals reading) our schools are laughable. Liberal ideas too often stray from what is traditionally known to be tried and true (the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic) and have cheated too many generations of American youth by keeping an inadequate education system at status quo. ‘Flavor of the week’ education strategies combined with stage one thinking cripple many areas of modern liberal thought and education is no different. Worse still, when these programs fail, we are told that more money is to be thrown at the problem to fix it (all at the expense of a society whose future is losing out). For the life of me, I can’t understand why the Left thinks that the same principles that made our country great (capitalism, competition and small government) don’t apply to our education system.
The public school system in this country is, at best, a mediocre medium for learning and at worst an outright monopoly that is completely resistant to changing it’s erred ways. Money is continually wasted all in the name of raising the dollar/student ratio which has little to no consequence on the overall level of education. The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a comparison of 15 year old students from different industrialized nations and their scores in math and science literacy. Not surprisingly the U.S. is far from the top. Economist Walter Williams (via Humanevents.com) breaks down the recent PISA’s findings and our spending habits thusly: “In 2004, the U.S. spent about $9,938 per secondary school student. More money might explain why Swiss and Norwegian students do better than ours because they, respectively, spent $12,176 and $11,109 per student. But what about Finland ($7,441) and South Korea ($6,761), which scored fi rst and second in math literacy? What about the Slovak Republic ($2,744) and Hungary ($3,692), as well as other nations whose education expenditures are a fraction of ours and whose students have greater math and science literacy than ours?” Now yes, the U.S. has a substantially larger population (300 million) than many of the countries who took the test, but that doesn’t excuse us from bankrupting our youth. Every child in the country deserves a good education, not just those who can afford to go to a private school, and the current system now is exactly as democrats would have it: the Dems got theirs in life, no one else can follow.
The solution to the education mess is the same solution that has been tried and true many times over. Add free-market ideas to the mix and people will know what to do. If the government helped families set up educational savings accounts or offered a comprehensive school voucher program, the best schools in the area would begin to flourish, as would students. If the state, local, and the national government’s would, instead of throwing more money into failing public schools, take a small percentage of that money annually and put that money into the aforementioned family education savings accounts or sponsor a school voucher system, then underprivileged areas and poor test scoring districts alike would have the means to send their children whereever they saw fi t, not just the nearest ‘free’ public school. The public schools left behind as students departed would initially shrink, but then adapt by increasing their standards of education and teaching methods, or be put out of business. The best teachers would find jobs at the best schools, enriching the nation as a whole.
The source of many of the problems we have today is forgetting our roots and what makes our country work. Government doesn’t do a great many things well, and education of one of its poorest areas of expertise. Putting competition and private sector initiatives into the education of our children can only serve to help the nation as a whole.
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Your Future in the Stars:
R-MC Horoscopes
by Troy Carter ‘08
Staff Writer
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Welcome to this issue’s horoscope section. To
keep things interesting, this week your horoscopes
are all accompanied by lyrics to songs I stole from
my parents CD collection over J-Term Break.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)You take it on faith/ You take it to the heart/ The
waiting is the hardest part
–Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
There’s a lot of high emotion building inside
of you, Pisces, and you’re waiting for a moment
that you’re starting to think might not come. The
important thing is that you don’t let the emotions get
the better of you while you’re waiting. Don’t try to
manipulate other people into finally giving you what
you want; all things will happen in due time.
Aries (March 21-April 20)Won’t you please play a song?/ A sentimental
song for my sentimental friend over there
-Herman’s Hermits
Missing somebody, Aries? If an old friend has
been in your thoughts lately, maybe it’s time that you
make that tough compromise to get them back in to
your life. Lasting friendships are hard to come by, so
don’t let this one go away because of a petty fight. If
caving and letting go of an old fight makes you feel
weak, though, this week might be a good time to get
stubborn with authority figures. Let your insubordination
shine and you might be rewarded for it.
Taurus (April 21-May 22)It’s the eye of the tiger/ It’s the thrill of the fi ght/
Rising up to the challenge of our rival
-Survivor
It’s time to get psyched, Taurus. The stars
are concentrating to give you concentration and willpower
the likes of which you’ve not known before.
Make sure that you use it while you have it. Use this
next week to accomplish a project that seemed too
daunting in the past, especially if it’s something that
requires working with others.
Gemini (May 23-June 23)Take a load of, Fanny/ Take a load for free/ Take
a load off, Fanny/ And you put the load right on me
–The Band
You certainly know how to get things done,
Gemini. The only problem is that you’ve been doing
what other people want for too long. While this
shows your generous nature and that you’re always
eager to help a friend, you’ve been getting a little
tired of it and want to work on your own projects
for a little bit. But if you keep carrying the load for
some of your friends, you might be met with a sudden
and unexpected gain soon.
Cancer (June 24-July 23)You were the one they backed up to the wall/ All
those years ago/ You were the one who imagined it all/
All those years ago
–George Harrison
Clichés don’t usually fit you, Cancer, but “a
bubble off center” might be one that works. Have
you felt like you’ve been isolating yourself from the
mainstream lately? Don’t worry about it. You’re a
visionary and visionaries, by definition, don’t fit just
right with the rest of the crowd. You might see your
individuality pay dividends this week.
Leo (July 24-August 23)I write the songs that make the whole world sing
–Barry Mannilow
Creativity, thy name is Leo. Your imagination
has been hard at work lately and its giving you
the ability to express your talents in new and different
ways. Use your powers wisely. The stars suggest increased
involvement in humanitarian or religious life.
Virgo (August 24-September 22)It’s been a long, long time coming/ But I know a
change gonna come
–Sam Cooke
It’s finally going to happen, Virgo. That great
injustice that has always bothered you is about to be
righted, but you’re going to need to do some work to
make sure it happens. This week is a good time to
let your practical side and your idealistic side work
together in an effort to get some real headway made
on righting wrongs. Just don’t get bogged down by
the superficial, work on changing something that’s
important to you.
Libra (September 23-October 23)Easy come, easy go/ Little high, little low/ Any
way the wind blows doesn’t really matter to me
-Queen
Your body and mind are strong, Libra, but
your spirit is getting kind of flimsy. Sure, you’re
capable of doing a lot of things, but why bother, right?
It doesn’t seem to take that much effort to just get by.
Normally this is where I’d advise you to get yourself
motivated and do something big, but the stars actually
tell me that your relaxed attitude is serving you well,
so maybe you ought to keep it up.
Scorpio (October 24-November 22)Everything under the sun is in tune/ But the sun is
eclipsed by the moon
–Pink Floyd
It’s an ebb and fl ow relationship for you,
Scorpio. You think you have everything fi gured out
in your mind, but when it comes time to execute,
your emotions get in the way. Stick to that plan that
you’ve laid out for yourself, though, and don’t let
your whims get the best of you. If you need emotional
strength, cling to some of those strong friends
you have for a while.
Sagittarius (November 23-December 21)It’s still the same old story/ A fight for love and
glory
–Jimmy Durante (from the Sleepless in Seattle
soundtrack. Thanks, Mom)
In your cosmic forecast for this week Mars
and Venus are squaring off against one another.
Even the most novice of astrologers can venture a
guess as to what this means for you Sagittarius, the
age old battle of the sexes is about to break out all
over your social life. Males will be too offensive
and coarse, females will be too emotional and all
stereotypes will be fulfilled.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19)Mama may have/ Papa may have/ But God
bless the child that’s got his own
–Billie Holiday
The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree,
Capricorn, and you’ve been showing just how much
you’re like your family this week. There’s nothing
wrong with that and you should definitely keep in
touch with your family roots, but try to find out what
motivates you and makes you unique. This strengthened
sense of identity, with your family identity
combining with your own personal fl air, will give
you the confidence to make a long term decision this
week.
Aquarius (January 20-February 18)I put a spell on you/ Because you’re mine
–Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
You’re just absolutely smitten with that
certain someone, aren’t you Aquarius? It’s got
you feeling anxious too. You might not want to let
yourself get too close, though. For someone going
through the confusing times you’ve gone through
lately, it might be best to spend some time alone
figuring things out for yourself. You might have a
hard time ignoring this love interest, though.
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Theater Review:
Baby with the Bathwater
by Derek Gayle ‘11
Staff Writer
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A tale of misfit parents and a young man named Daisy’s identity crisis set the spine for playwright Christopher Durang’s wacky farce about the bitter insanity of life. Scrapping the use of a defined plot and linear narrative, Baby with the Bathwater instead sets up various scenes spaced out over the course of Daisy’s life. Beginning at infancy, his parents quickly establish that they are completely unprepared for parenthood (the mother, Helen, believes you can “decide later” if the baby is a boy or girl). Daisy is then raised as a girl for the first 15 years of his life, and is subjected to various traumatic— though hilarious—events, until he finally grows up and becomes a father himself, determined not to repeat his own parents’ mistakes.
Director J.D. Jump diluted none of the play’s satirical and sometimes downright nonsensical views, allowing the gritty surrealism and political incorrectness that makes it unique shine through. Brilliant choices on many of the seemingly irrelevant details—such as having one of the characters actually smoke on the stage during a scene, and not censoring any of the language for family viewings—added to the “anything goes” effect, and made this production particularly distinct.
None of the actors let the absurdity overpower them, however; each of them brought out the best and worst of these immensely bizarre characters. The great thing about having such a small cast is that there are absolutely no “throwaway parts”; each and every character adds something to the particular scene or the play as a whole. In this case, every character also has some sort of distinctive fl aw that leads to hilarious situations.
The parents Helen and John, portrayed by Bitsy Johnson and E.J. Seay respectively, fluctuate from being in stark contrast of each other, to having the same disturbed tendencies. Johnson is marvelous at instantaneously switching from a warm, motherly figure to a dark and disturbed character at any given moment, while Seay successfully plays John’s arc from a wannabe father to a lethargic drunk over the course of the play.
Bill Allen had the challenge of depicting Daisy, as he struggles to discover his identity, choose a name, and finish his freshmen paper. From his first appearance on a dark stage in a dress, Allen expresses Daisy’s anxiety and frustration with a sarcastic and darkly comedic tone that makes you laugh, but feel sorry for him at the same time.
Supporting characters who enter Daisy’s young life are equally as entertaining, such as Nanny (Emily Arnold), a warped Mary Poppins who can turn downright terrifying at times; Cynthia (Elicia Porter), an insane neighbor who tries to kidnap Daisy but meets her demise after being hit by a bus; and Miss Pringle (Becky Johnsen), a terrified teacher who pleads for help for Daisy from the principal, Mrs. Willoughby (Alex Yates), only to find that she, too, is quite crazy.
The set design, itself, was also entertaining. The floor of the set was shaped to create a merging of the male and female symbols of Mars and Venus, reflecting Daisy’s battle for his sexuality. This decision was incredibly imaginative and creative, and despite its odd shape, it did not take away from the actual production at all. Scenic designer Michael Jarvis along with anyone who helped contribute to this idea deserves a pat on the back; it was one of the best parts of the show.
Every element of this ingenious production was entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny, with not one dull moment throughout. Baby with the Bathwater gets 5 rattles made of asbestos, lead and Red Dye No. 2 out of 5.
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Review:
Definitely, Maybe
by Becky Johnsen ‘10
Culture Editor
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For Definitely, Maybe, many of you will need only a sentence: this movie is a chick flick. If you do not look forward to spending a few hours munching on popcorn, surrounded by girls sighing over adorable Will Hayes, his adorable romantic antics, and his especially adorable daughter, I may not recommend this to you. Heavily saturated in cuteness, it offers little else than a warm happy feeling. Directed by Adam Brookes, this film centers around the past and present love life of Ryan Reynolds (Hayes). The movie introduces our alliterative hero as a political consultant in New York City, and in the middle of a divorce. Currently, Ryan is struggling to explain to his daughter Maya why he and her mother could separate even though they were in love. Trying to simplify a complicated situation, Ryan begins telling his ten-year old the story of how he met two other loves of his life in addition to her mother. Ryan playfully alters the names in the story as a game to see if Maya can guess who her mother is in the story
The majority of the story is narrated from Ryan’ perspective and it introduces Emily, April, and Summer, three vivacious young women each offering some sort of appeal to Ryan. Emily is Ryan’s blonde high school sweetheart, and embodies the stereotype with her devoted and youthful appearance. When Ryan moves from home into New York City, at his liberal campaign headquarters, he meets the copy girl April. A redhead, April is a little bit of a wild child with her eclectic tastes, but still has a heartwarming love for Jane Eyre. In the city, Ryan also runs into Summer, a brilliant and free spirited journalist willing to be involved romantically with Ryan even though she is already involved with her aged master thesis advisor.
In his episodes, Ryan yo-yo’s between relationships with each of these women, and proves that love really is too complicated to figure out sometimes. There are several twists and pitfalls in the story, but Ryan doggedly tries to find the perfect girl. Regardless of his failure in his marriage, Ryan finds his happy ending in Maya, and she proves to show him the next steps he should take. Although Ryan is a little bit of a player during the film, he visibly matures as a father and his relationship with Maya is very sweet. In addition to the interesting and mostly lovable characters, this show was entertaining in having a somewhat unpredictable ending. Although there was not a lot of intellectual or moral insight, it was still a sweet concept. I would not necessarily see this movie in theaters again, but I would definitely rent it. For this, I give Definitely, Maybe three and a half jackets.
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Alumni Spotlight
by Virginia Seatherton ‘08
Staff Writer
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Lang Gibson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 1982. He was one of only three Economics majors and “loved” it even though he fell into the major after he took a number of Business-Economic classes. Professor Schmidt was a professor of Gibson. Gibson excelled at Economics so much so that he was awarded the Wade C Temple Memorial Scholarship for academic excellence in Business-Economics.
Originally from Arlington, in northern Virginia, Gibson enrolled at R-MC because of the small size of the college and its close proximity to northern Virginia. While a student, Gibson played baseball for three years and wrote a few sports articles for the Yellow Jacket. He started the Business-Economics club and was a class senator in SGA. Gibson was also an avid intramural participant and in 1980 and 1981 won the intramural championship in basketball with his team ‘The Erasers.’
In 1985, Gibson married now, and has an eighteen year old son and fifteen year old daughter. Immediately after graduation, Gibson began work for a printing company in northern Virginia. Like his major, Gibson “fell into” this as well. He began as a salesman for the company, but worked his way up to Vice President of Sales which is where he remained for ten years until he and his wife, in 1992, began their own printing company, Papercraft Incorporated. Their company caters to professional firms such as law firms, banks, and accounting agencies. They sell corporate stationary.
Of the many memories that Gibson still holds from his time at R-MC, the commencement speech at his graduation stands out. His uncle, the now famous, Charles Gibson, who is the AC news anchor, was the commencement speaker.
A liberal arts education is best for “spurring on the entrepreneurial spirit.”
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Women’s Lacrosse Looks to Bounce Back
by Brendan Kerrigan ‘09
Sports Editor
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The Randolph-Macon women’s lacrosse team, under fourth year head coach Dan Kanach, is excited to start its ’08 season. Looking to improve on their already impressive 10-5 record from last year, the Jackets are looking to claim the ODAC title. The team is led by senior captains Lacey Phelps, and Lindsay Schabert, and junior captain Morgan Hutchinson. The team also consists of four other seniors in Alex Wright, Marie Parry, Amanda Rzucidlo, and Margret Fisher.
The women began their season with scrimmages, hosting a play-day with Lynchburg College and University of Virginia’s club team. The Jackets showed a strong showing as they defeated ODAC rival Lynchburg two times, while splitting with UVA’s club team, 1-1. These scrimmages showed a lot of promise for this year and the team only hopes to build on that momentum.
The Yellow Jacket’s opened their season this past Saturday as they traveled to Salisbury, Maryland, to compete against nationally ranked Salisbury University, who were currently ranked No.3. Luck was not on the Jackets side this day as the women took a tough loss to the Sea Gulls, losing 24-1.
Their season continues on March 1st, as the women travel to Owings Mills, Maryland to play against Villa Julie College.
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Swimming Takes Second Place at the ODAC’s
by Brendan Kerrigan ‘09
Sports Editor
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The Randolph-Macon swim team traveled to Radford University to compete in the ODAC championships on February 15th – 17th. The team, although unable to reclaim the title they won last year, had a very strong showing and claimed second place overall, only behind Washington and Lee University. The team concluded a successful year under new head coach Ben Delia.
The Jackets claimed two individual victories at the meet, with freshman Meredith Bagenstose winning the 400yd IM, and fellow freshman Corinne Campbell winning the 200yd butterfly. The team tallied a total of eight second place finishes, scoring the most individual points at the meet. Individual second places finishes were collected by Marlene Graf, with second place finishes in the 500yd freestyle, and the 200yd freestyle. Third place finishes were collected by Busch in the 50yd freestyle, McLaughlin in the 400yd IM, and Graf in the 1650yd Freestyle.
Second place finishes were also collected by: the 200yd Free relay team of Busch, Laura Belch, McLaughlin, and Campbell; the 400yd Medley team of Graf, Campbell, McLaughlin and Busch; the 200yd Medley team on Belch, Campbell, Randi Smith, and Busch; and 800yd Freestyle team of McLaughlin, Bagenstose, Aimee Powell, and Graf; and the 400yd Freestyle team of Busch, Belch, McLaughlin, and Graf. Senior Aimee Powell collected a 4th place finish in the 400yd IM, meaning that R-MC took 3 of the top 4 places in that event.
The Jackets concluded a strong season that was filled with many exciting races. The team waits now to see if they hear anything regarding invites to the NCAA Championships.
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Senior Spotlight:
Marta Merkel
by Tyler Watkins ‘08
Staff Writer
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Many years ago, Darwin’s “Survival of the Fittest” theory was formulated and applied to many walks of life. Probably even longer ago, it was said that the “apple does not fall far from the tree.” These ideas could not be more accurate than when they are applied to Marta Merkel, a Senior Guard on the Women’s Basketball team.
Marta grew up in Fredrick, Maryland where she went to St. Johns Prospect High School. She grew up with 5 brothers and 3 sisters and, luckily, she also grew up under the close supervision of her Mother and Father, both fantastic athletes in Basketball and Football respectively. Marta’s Mother played basketball at University of Maryland, while her father grew up playing football in high school and went on to be a Coach’s assistant at the University of Maryland.
If that wasn’t enough influence, all of her brothers and sisters have excelled at sports. Whether in the pee-wee leagues or at the Division I level, all Merkels are athletically talented. As such, Marta grew up in a Merkel-eat-Merkel world, where she had to play tough in order to survive. This upbringing has turned her into a fantastic athlete and an incredible basketball player.
This season, Marta has averaged 2 Assists per game, 1.3 steals per game, 4.7 points per game, and almost 28 minutes per game which is the second most on the team. This is all after battling back after a knee injury late last year that would have ended most athletic careers. That, sports fans, is the Merkel competitive spirit.
The Marta Merkel competitive spirit does not only live in the athletic realm. She also boasts a fantastic GPA and plans to attend Virginia Commonwealth University to pursue a Masters degree in Sports Management.
Marta is not only motivated by her family, but also by her coach, Carroll La- Haye. “She is a great person and a great coach,” says Merkel of LaHaye. “She has great community relations, and treats everyone the same. Whether they are the best player on our team or the someone filling up water bottles, Coach LaHaye treats everyone the same: with respect,” Merkel further commented on her esteemed coach.
Marta Merkel is a student athlete that will be greatly missed when she graduates. The basketball team, her friends, and the staff of Randolph-Macon will all miss her. Luckily, Marta will leave a competitive legacy behind for the younger players on the basketball team, and to any athlete who has ever had a glimmer of that competitive spirit.
Marta’s upbringing, her athletic influences, her great coaches, and her undying competitive spirit have all played parts in her becoming the athlete that she is. Thankfully, the apple never fell far from the tree.
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Baseball Strikes Back
by Brendan Kerrigan ‘09
Sports Editor
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The Randolph-Macon baseball team is looking to bounce back after a rocky start to their 2008 season. The Yellow-Jackets, under Ray Hedrick, are expecting big things this year as they compete in the quest for the ODAC title.
The baseball team started their season in the first week of February, as they traveled south to play in Georgia and then North Carolina. In their first game of the year, the Jackets took the diamond against Piedmont College, which resulted in an 8-7 loss. On February 9th, the Jackets traveled to North Carolina to play Methodist University, in which they lost both games, 12-2, and 9-6. Even with the tough loss, the Jackets showed some hope for the future as freshman Jimmy Piscopo put his name out there as he blasted a homerun.
The Jackets returned home disappointed, but eager to work even harder. Their hard work paid off as on February 16th, the Jackets hosted a double-header against St. Mary’s College of Maryland. The team captured victories in both games with scores of 7-6 and 4-3 respectivley. Senior Bo Garner and sophomore Matt Tiller picked up their fi rst wins on the mounds. The first game saw Garner, freshman Josh Ellwood, and senior Mike Gerdes pitch, while Charlie Hartt added insurance with a homerun. The second game saw Tiller, and juniors Dillon Sheads and Nick Simons on the mound, while sophomores J.C. Conway, Mike Wallace and junior Kevin Davis hitting doubles. The two teams matched up again the next day, this time with the Seahawks claiming the victory 7-1
The team then challenged Christopher Newport University, which ultimately ended in an 11-7 loss. Hartt collected his second homerun of the season, while sophomore Kyle Hicks unfortunately collected his fi rst loss of the season. This past weekend however, the Jackets hosted a three-team play day which brought No.1 ranked Cortland, and Rowan University to Ashland. The Jackets played tough against the nation’s best, unfortunately, ending in a 7-2 loss.
The Jackets then played a double-header against Rowan, which was a makeup game from a few days prior. The team pulled out two clutch wins winning 9-8 and 12-4 respecitvely. Simons got the win in the fi rst game, which also saw Hartt collect his third homerun of the year. RBI’s were collected by Meleski, Dickerson, Bierlein, Dykes, and Hartt with two. The second game saw freshman Byron Mendenhall earn his first collegiate victory and sophomore Jay Lichter hitting a grand slam. Meleski, also had a three-bagger while Davis hit a double. RBI’s were collected by Lichter with 4, Bierlein and Meleski with 2 each, Wallace, and Hartt.
The Jackets get back in action on February 28th, as they travel to Fredericksburg to compete against the University of Mary Washington.
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Second Seed ODAC’s
by Ben Middleton
Staff Writer
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It’s a good time to be a Yellow Jacket. Our men’s basketball team has successfully clenched a No. 2 seed in the ODAC conference, after finishing off a 20-win season. With a record of 14-4 in the ODAC and 20-5 overall, the Jacket’s will soon have a chance to capture the ODAC championship.
On February 13th, the Jackets traveled to Harrisonburg for an ODAC victory, defeating Bridgewater 72-64, bringing their win streak to five games. R-MC took a quick 22-9 lead with 8:40 left in the first, however Bridgewater was able to come back at the end the half 28-27. The Jackets started the second half off strong, going on a 14-1 run and lead for the remainder of the game. Justin Short and Jordan Brown each had 16 points, while Boris Valera led rebounds with nine.
Three days later, R-MC hosted No. 23 Virginia Wesleyan for an unfortunate, yet exciting loss. With VWC up 65-64 with 53 seconds left, Jeremy Dixon was fouled and put up two free throws, putting the Jackets ahead by one. Marlin, Ton-Ton Balenga then sunk a jump shot with 9 seconds remaining to pull ahead. The game ended after a pair of successful WVC free throws and an unsuccessful buzzer half-court shot by Justin Short. Dixon led R-MC with 14 points, followed by Danny Jones with 13.
Despite the close loss, the Yellow Jackets went on the road and defeated Eastern Mennonite 82-55 on February 20th, for an ODAC victory. R-MC took an early 20-9 lead in the first half, and lead throughout, which would later reach as high as 31. Danny Jones, Jordan Brown, and Jeremy Short had 18 points each. A strong defense, led by Valera and Dixon each with 11 rebounds, held the Royals to shooting just 28.6% from the floor.
The regular season closer couldn’t have been better, as R-MC defeated ODAC arch rival Hampden- Sydney 72-66 in front of a sold-out crowd on February 23rd. The Tigers held R-MC scoreless, until Justin Short sank a jumper with 13:21 remaining, making it 8-2 Tigers. The Jackets battled back and took the lead, 13-12, with nine minutes remaining. The half ended after Short was fouled on a three-point attempt, making all three free-throws, and extending the lead to 32-27. H-SC fought back and cut the lead 64-62 with 2:48 to go. However the game was decided after Short sunk a three-pointer, the Jacket’s defense made a huge stop, and Jones countered with a jumper. Jordan Brown led R-MC with 18 points, and shot 7-7 from the foul line. Justin Short had 17 with five assists, followed by senior Jeremy Dixon with 15 points and Jones added in 11. Dixon also had eight rebounds.
The Yellow Jackets will next compete in the 2008 ODAC Tournament Quarterfi nal Round, against Hampden- Sydney on March 3rd, at the Salem Civic Center.
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Three Wins in Four Games
by Brendan Kerrigan ‘09
Sports Editor
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When we last left the Jackets, they had four games remaining in their season, all of which were against ODAC opponents. In these four games that remained, the Jackets accumulated a total of 346 points, outscoring their opponents by an amazing 113 points. The Jackets took three of the last four games, which was good enough for them to seal the #2 spot entering the ODAC tournament.
On February 16th, the Jackets hosted Randolph College in Crenshaw gym. The Jackets delivered a crushing blow to the Wildcats, defeating them by a score of 90-39. Junior, Amanda Hiltunen led the team with 23 points. Seniors Nicole Childress, and Jess Shifflett added offensive power as well as they scored 16 and 17 points respectively. Sophomore center, Molly Ariail added 10 points to the victory. Senior Marta Merkel led the team in total rebounds, bringing down 10, while fellow senior Lindsay Riesbeck and sophomore Renee Stein each grabbed 8 boards.
Three days later, the Jackets traveled to Eastern Mennonite for another ODAC game. Unfortunately, luck was not on the side of the Jackets, as they came up short, 79-74, for their fourth ODAC loss of the season. Team leaders were Childress with 18 points, and Shifflett and Hiltunen each with 12 points. Shifflett was also 2-3 behind the arc. Stein led the team in boards, grabbing 8 totals, while Ariail was right behind her with 7. Looking to rebound, the Jackets traveled to Lynchburg to take on the Hornets. The loss to Mennonite seemed to cause a wake-up call, as the Jackets proved to have the harsher sting, defeating the Hornets 90-71. Two players reached 20+ points, as Hiltunen scored 25, and Ariail, who had a double-double scored 20 and grabbed 10 rebounds. Merkel totaled 19 points, while Riesbeck threw up 18 points. Hiltunen and Merkel were both on-point in this game, each going 3-3 from behind the arc.
In their last ODAC season game, the women traveled to Hollins University. The women came out victorious, ending their season with a defining win. The women played strong as they became the victors, 92-44. Shifflett totaled 22 points, while Riesbeck and Hiltunen scored 14 points and 11 points respectively. Stein led the team in boards, securing 8 totals, while Childress, and freshman Jennifer O’Briant each totaled 6.
The women are preparing themselves for their first round game of the ODAC tournament, beginning on February 28th. The Jackets will travel to Salem Virginia, to play Washington and Lee University at the Salem Civic Center. We wish our women the best of luck as they seek to capture fourth consecutive ODAC Championship Title.
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Expecting a Big Season
by Brendan Kerrigan ‘09
Sports Editor
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Recently, the Randolph-Macon men’s lacrosse team started off their ’08 season with three scrimmage games. The Jackets, fronted by second year coach Michael Plantholt, look to make a name for themselves not only in the ODAC, but in the NCAA as well. With the new additions of assistant coaches in Kennedy and Rosenberg, and nine freshmen, the Yellow Jackets are excited to start their season.
The Jackets opened up their scrimmages hosting Marymount University, which they won by a score of 9-7. With a good fi rst scrimmage showing, the Jackets then traveled to Annapolis to the United States Naval Academy to play NAVY’s “B” team. Here, the Jackets put up a good fight against the midshipmen, losing a close one on a frigid day by a score of 10-8. With one more scrimmage to go before the season, the Jackets hosted Bates College from Maine. In a hard fought game, the Jackets came out victorious with a fi nal of 11-9. Freshmen goalies, Patrick Nugent, Adam Liberto, and Ray Wodarski, all split time and have proved they have adapted to the college game.
This year hopes to be one unlike the past for the Jackets as they vie for a spot atop the ODAC conference, arguably one of the toughest in men’s NCAA division III lacrosse. This years’ team, although small, is led by seven seniors in Jamie Minkler, Jason Dimarcantonio, Tom Brannock, and captains’ Tyler Watkins, Paul Johnsen, Peter LaPaglia, and Keith Baker. A total number of eight juniors and sophomores will also add depth to the team, being major contributors on both sides of the field. The team also expects big contributions from the freshmen on the squad, who will see considerable playing time.
The continue their season on Saturday in Baltimore, Maryland as they play Swarthmore College at neutral grounds, Baltimore Lutheran High School.
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Softball Begins with Split
by Brendan Kerrigan ‘09
Sports Editor
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The 2008 Randolph-Macon Softball team started their season this past Sunday in Owings Mills, Maryland, as they split a pair of games against the Mustangs. Led by fifth year coach Kevin Proffitt, the Jackets look to improve on their 21-14 overall record last year. With a team of only four seniors: Meaghan Mauck, Casey Mauck, Carrie Barchick, and Brooke Snyder, the Jackets are young and preparing for an exciting year.
While in Owings Mills, the Jackets took a tough loss in the first game of the doubleheader, losing 4-2 to the Mustangs. Freshman Katie Raulerson was on the mound for the Jackets in her first collegiate start. She performed well, totaling eight strike-outs. Fellow freshman Morgan Greene, started her college career on the right foot, as she had the only two RBI’s for the Jackets.
The second game, saw the same score, but with the teams exchanging the victor side as the Jackets ended up defeating Villa Julie 4-2. Junior, Courtney Brooks took the mound for the Jackets and pitched fi ve innings, totaling three strike-outs. Fellow junior teammate, Becky Clark closed things out for Brooks as they pitched the remaining two innings, totaling two strike-outs. Sophomore Katie Newton, and freshman Paige Smith each contributed at the plate, by both hitting doubles. The Jackets rallied late in the game scoring their four runs in the 5th and 6th inning. RBI’s were collected by Newton and Meaghan Mauck.
The Jackets return to the diamond on February 27th as they play host to the Eagles of University of Mary Washington. Following that, they play host to Dickinson College on March 1st.
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