flat hat 11-27-12
DESCRIPTION
The Flat Hat 11-27-12TRANSCRIPT
RainyHigh 55, Low 32
IndexNews Insight News Variety Variety Opinions SportsSports
Today’s Weather Inside OPINIONSPassion versus practicalityIn today’s job market, should we still be encouraging college graduates to pursue their passions when deciding on a career path? page 6
Inside SPORTSFootball team shows support for local girl battling cancerJunior linebacker Matt Crisafi organizes head-shaving event to raise money for St. Baldrick’s foundation. page 7
33 percent of 25-to 29-year-olds attained bachelor degrees in 2012
CAMPUS
ADMISSIONS
Vol. 102, Iss. 23 | Tuesday, November 27, 2012 The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper of The College of William and Mary Flathatnews.com | Follow us:
2345678
BY ZACHARY FRANKTHE FLAT HAT
The number of students receiving college degrees has reached an all-time high, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center.
More young Americans aged 25 to 29 are receiving bachelor’s degrees than ever before. In 2012, 33 percent of the country’s 25-to-29-year-olds had completed college at the baccalaureate level.
These record-levels of college degrees persisted across numerous demographic groups. Women and men, along with Hispanic, white and black Americans and native and non-native Americans are all finishing college at record-high levels.
The Pew study cites the economic downturn of the late-2000s and the poor job market as a possible reason for the increase in college attendance and completion, a notion that Sara
Marchello, registrar at the College of William and Mary, shares.
“It’s certainly been true throughout my career that higher education enrollments grow in society at large during periods of high unemployment and recession,” Marchello said. “Adults in the age range [mentioned], 25-29, who find themselves unemployed or underemployed, are often in a position to seek additional education (or, in the case of different types of institutions, occupational training) in hopes of improving their employability and/or quality of life.”
Before the 2008 recession, college completion levels had not been as high, likely the result of a better economy.
The Pew Center also cited changing public opinion toward college degree as a reason for the increase in college completion. In 1978, there was an even split among those who thought that going to college was vital for success, and
those who disagreed. In 2009, 73 percent of those surveyed felt that going to college was a prerequisite for success. Survey results from the Gallup Organization yielded very similar data, including the discrepancy from the 1970s to the 2000s.
Morgan Ferguson ’15 feels that students are pushed to enter college right after high school, due to the changing public opinion on higher education.
“I think for me, college is like the stepping stone for getting the training that I want for my future career,” Ferguson said. “But it’s not just a stepping stone, it’s total enrichment for my life, you know? For most people it’s about the college experience. Most likely, people that are going back to college are using it as a tool to solely forward career objectives, but [college age] people have the ability to treat it as
Record number of students graduateUnranked on “Most Accessible Professors” list
FACULTY
BY AINE CAINFLAT HAT STAFF WRITER
According to a recent Princeton Review list published in The Huffington Post, the College of William and Mary does not have the most accessible professors. The College’s exclusion from the “Most Accessible Professors” ranking may come as a surprise, as 10 faculty members were named in the Review’s “Best 300 Professors of 2011.”
At the College, professors are required to hold office hours — a topic specifically addressed by the Arts and Sciences Faculty Handbook:
“Regular office hours shall be held and the schedule of office hours shall be listed on course syllabi, posted on
College misses accessibility list
See DEGREES page 3
COURTESY PHOTO / SUNOFTHESOUTH.NET Six percent of student enrollment at The College of William and Mary are not United States students, hailing from countries such as Azerbaijan, Finland, Ethiopia, Estonia, Zimbabwe and Venezuela.
The F lat HatThe F lat HatVARIETY // Game night! Take a break from studying and get competitive, pg. 4-5
Jiayang Zhou ’16 heard about the College of William and Mary from an international study company in her hometown of Jiaxing, China. She read a story about a boy who applied to the College but was rejected. His story inspired her to try her hardest to get accepted. Zhou slept four to five hours per night and was under constant stress as she prepared her application. She even had to take the SAT — a daunting task considering it was in a language she only started to learn
when she was ten. “The last days, I really didn’t sleep
because my essay wasn’t great, and I wasn’t well prepared,” Zhou said. “But the result was great.”
Zhou is just one of the College’s many international students. She is one of a growing number of students seeking undergraduate education in the United States. According to the Huffington Post, the number of international students attending American universities increased by six percent during the 2011-12 school year. Most notably, the number of students from China increased by 23 percent.
For the College specifically, six percent of the freshman class is made up of international students. According to Dean of Admissions Henry Broaddus, this is consistent with previous years.
There are many reasons why students come over to the United States to receive their education. For some, like Daniel Sieh ’16 from San Paolo, Brazil, the undergraduate education system is more appealing in the United States.
“It was the general quality of education and the way it’s set up,” Sieh said. “In Brazil, none of the colleges are
nowhere near as good as [the College].”Sieh stated two major problems
with undergraduate education in Brazil. First, one test is used to determine whether students will go to college. Second, students are supposed to attend technical schools instead of receiving a broader liberal arts education.
“If you’re not so sure about your future, it’s not the best system,” Sieh said.
Broaddus believes the College’s historic reputation carries a lot of
International students attending American universities increased this past year
See INTERNATIONAL page 3
BY ANNIE CURRANTHE FLAT HAT
See ACCESSIBILITY page 3
WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS FROM?
208 from the People’s Republic of China
Statistics are taken from the Fall 2011 Undergradute Course Catalog
Making the world
FLATTER62 from the Republic
of Korea
10 from Japan
5 from South Africa
“
Jung hyun lee / the FLAt hAt
A ThOuSAnD WORDS
newsinsight The F lat Hat
news editor Katherine Chiglinskynews editor Meredith Ramey
| tuesday, November 27, 2012 | Page 2
The BuZZ
“ The community here [is] very welcoming. ... It really helps ease the transition because you have so much fun here,
you barely have time to miss your family. —International Student Daniel Sieh ’16
BeyOnD The ‘BuRg
COuRTeSy PhOTO / BLOG.FIReARMCLASSIFIeD.COMFew students have expressed interest in living in the University of Colorado’s firearm-friendly dorm, which is under construction and will be completed in 2014.
New Town skates into holiday season
A synthetic outdoor ice rink opened on Sullivan Square in New Town last Friday. Families and students can rent skates for $7 a person or bring their own and pay $5. Season passes are also available. The ice rink will be open until Jan. 13 from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and noon to 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Sullivan Square has also been adorned with a 30-foot Christmas tree. Nationwide Insurance will provide free hot cocoa this Friday evening from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Carolers and the alumni of the Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drums will perform 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Merchants Square to host W&M night
On Thursday, Nov. 29, Merchants Square will host W&M night, featuring a canned food drive, discounts on food and a humorous performance of “A Christmas Carol” by the Virginia Theatre Machine. The first 500 people to donate three or more cans of food at the William and Mary Bookstore will receive T-shirts. Starting at 6 p.m., students can take pictures with Santa and eat dessert from Wythe Candy & Gourmet Shop and cider and chili from the Trellis. The items most needed for the food drive are canned meat, fruit juice, canned fruits and vegetables, boxed pasta meals and cereal.
Professor studies sea-level changes
Professor John Brubaker from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science is studying intra-seasonal changes in sea level, which occur outside of long-term sea level and short-term storm-related rises. Large-scale water movements along the shore and current shifts can account for intra-seasonal sea level inconsistencies. The tide can vary up to a foot from what is predicted, which can have repercussions in forecasts, coast activities and ecosystem health. Brubaker, along with researchers John Boon and David Forrest, will use the Tidewatch Forecast system at VIMS to continue analyzing changes in sea level.
neWS in BRief
CORReCTiOnS
The Flat Hat wishes to correct any facts printed incorrectly. Corrections may be submitted by e-mail to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.
CAMPuS POliCe BeAT
Oct. 31 — Nov. 111
2
3
Wednesday, Oct. 31 — A graduate student was arrested for assault and battery by the Parking Services Office.
Wednesday, Oct. 31 — A laptop with an estimated worth of $1800 was stolen at Landrum Hall.
Friday, Nov. 2 — A student was arrested for possession of a fake driver’s license at the Student Recreation Center.
Friday, Nov. 2 — Three wallets and cash were stolen at approximately 10:30a.m. at the Student Recreation Center.
Thursday, Nov. 11 — A bicycle valued at $400 was stolen from the Sadler Center.
University of Iowa Punishes Illegal Rabbit Hunters
According to The Huffington Post, two freshmen wrestlers at the University of Iowa were taken into custody and charged with hunting rabbits Tuesday evening. Armed with BB guns, Alex Meyer and Connor Ryan stalked the animals on campus property, which university officials have called a direct violation of the student conduct policy. Meyer and Ryan were discovered by a campus security officer and subsequently suspended and arrested. Investigators found pelts in Meyer’s dorm room, and the pair later confirmed that they hoped to make hats from the rabbit fur. The rabbit-hunting season runs from September to February in Iowa and is especially popular in the southern part of the state. However, it is strictly prohibited on the University of Iowa campus.
Gun Dorms a Bust at the University of Colorado
Gawker reported that the University of Colorado’s firearm-friendly dorm for students aged 21 and older has attracted few interested residents so far. The unfinished dorm, which is due to be completed in 2014, will cater to students with concealed-carry gun permits. The university already allows for the on-campus storage of properly licensed hunting weapons, though students are not allowed to carry weapons into other on-campus dorms or to various events. Future occupants of the weapon-focused residence must alert the university of their status in order to obtain permission to carry a concealed weapon in the dorm. Reportedly, no students have opted to live in the building thus far.
Amherst College Revises Assault Policy
The New York Times reported that Amherst College is revising its sexual assault policy in response to a series of explosive articles detailing abuse at the school. The Good Men Project, an online magazine, published a note by former student and suicide victim Trey Malone, sparking a firestorm of criticism of Amherst’s treatment of assault victims. Current Amherst College President and College of William and Mary alumna Carolyn “Biddy” Martin ’73 expressed regret over past mistakes, while simultaneously voicing enthusiasm over the intensive discussion of the issue at hand. Experts have lauded Martin’s new policies, which include requiring trained investigators to handle future sexual assault cases.
Dishonesty Leads to Removal of GWU’s Ranking
According to the Washington Post, George Washington University was removed from the U.S. News & World Report’s list of top national universities due to its inflation of the incoming freshmen class’s academic credentials. 58 percent of students, not 78 percent as GWU originally reported, were in the top 10% of their high school class. GWU was previously listed as 51st on the magazine’s list, but will remain unranked until September in response to the inaccurate data submitted by the school. The move has sparked widespread controversy on the university’s campus. Students have taken to social media to decry the school’s high tuition and deceitfulness. GWU officials argued that the misinformation was the result of a computer glitch rather than intentional manipulation.
The Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily reported that the York County Board of Supervisors became the first in the Historic Triangle to approve James City County’s Business Incubator plan. The project aims to promote steady economic growth in the region by advising businesses and providing them subsidized rent for several years before they “graduate.” Currently, the College of William and Mary’s Technology and Business Center and James City’s Economic Development Authority manages the incubator. Their contract is expected to be renewed in 2013.
According to The Associated Press, Virginia Tech, Old Dominion University, Norfolk State University and the Virginia Military Institute along with Virginia Science Technology Engineering and the Applied Mathematics Academy are planning to establish a residential academy for high school students grades nine through 12. VMI has suggested Fort Monroe in Hampton as a potential site for the school, which is expected to open in 2014.
Gov. Bob McDonnell announced that $543,000 in matching grant funds will be awarded to 37 local tourism initiatives. Local organizations will match state funds 3-to-1 to work on websites, social media and advertisements. “Grants such as these enable our localities to more effectively market themselves to potential visitors,” said McDonnell. “When more visitors come to Virginia, the commonwealth and the localities realize increased tax revenue, businesses prosper, and new jobs are created.”
College of William and Mary Board of Visitors member Pete Snyder ’94 announced his intention to run for lieutenant governor Monday. Snyder is a technology entrepreneur who started New Media Strategies, a social media group marketing company. This past election cycle, he was a Fox News commentator who oversaw Republican campaigns in Virginia. According to The Washington Post, Snyder is attempting to brand himself as a political outsider with a business background.
According to the Virginia Gazette, Chairman of the City of Williamsburg Economic Development Authority Monty Mason ’89 is planning to run against Del. Mike Watson in 2013 for the House of Delegates’ 93rd district. The district includes the City of Williamsburg and part of Newport News, James City County, and York County. “I have been active in our community for many years, and I want to serve in an even greater capacity. The results of the recent election across this district showed that the citizens want legislators who will work across the aisle and provide balanced, common sense solutions to the important issues of the day,” Mason said in an interview.
The PulSeAll The News ThAT’s uNfiT To priNT
4
5
‘STABiliTAS eT fiDeS’ | eStABLISheD OCt. 3, 1911
25 Campus Center, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va. 23185Newsroom (757) 221-3283 — Advertising Dept. (757) 221-3283 / [email protected]
Editor [email protected] [email protected]
Sports [email protected]
Opinions [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Ariel Cohen Assoc. News EditorChase Hopkins Assoc. News Editor
Ken Lin Assoc. News Editor Maggie Kern Assoc. News Editor
Meredith Ramey Assoc. News EditorRob Marty Assoc. News Editor
Chris McKenna Senior News WriterChris Weber Assoc. Sports EditorAbby Boyle Assoc. Variety Editor
Bailey Kirkpatrick Assoc. Variety EditorSarah Caspari Assoc. Variety EditorSophie Mason Assoc. Variety Editor
Ellen Wexler Assoc. Opinions EditorElliott Hay Assoc. Opinions Editor
Alex Bramsen Copy Editor
Betsy Goldemen Copy EditorClaire Hoffman Copy EditorColleen Leonard Copy EditorLauren Becker Copy EditorMegan Elmore Copy EditorMeredith Luze Copy EditorRachel Steinberg Copy Editor Allison Hicks CartoonistMolly Adair CartoonistRachel Brooks CartoonistRachel Pulley CartoonistAlex Cooper Editorial WriterNara Yoon Business ManagerKarin Krause Social Media ManagerAnita Jiang Assoc. Photo Editor
Katherine Chiglinsky News EditorVanessa Remmers News Editor
Hailey Arnold Variety EditorKatie Demeria Variety EditorJared Foretek Sports Editor
Elizabeth DeBusk Opinions EditorStephanie Hubbard Copy ChiefKatherine Hoptay Copy ChiefMichelle Gabro Photo EditorWalter Hickey Online Editor
Mike Barnes Editor-in-Chief Becky Koenig Managing Editor — Jill Found Executive Editor
Ellie Kaufman Chief Staff WriterJill Found Editor-in-Chief
Katie Demeria Executive Editor
Ken Lin Assoc. News EditorBailey Kirkpatrick Assoc. News Editor
Chris Weber Assoc. Sports EditorNatalie Ferenbach Assoc. Variety Editor
Colleen Leonard Copy EditorGarrett Hendrickson Copy Editor
Liz McGlynn Copy EditorRachel Steinberg Copy EditorBetsy Goldemen Copy Editor
April Smith Copy EditorTyler Minnich Copy Editor
Rebecca Marshall Copy EditorRichie Thaxton Copy EditorEmily Lowman Copy EditorAllison Ramage Copy EditorJenna Tan Copy EditorLindsay Wade CartoonistLizzie Dabbs CartoonistRachel Brooks CartoonistRachel Pulley CartoonistKarin Krause Social Media ManagerPatricia Radich Graphic Designer
The F lat Hat‘STABiliTAS eT fiDeS’ | eStABLISheD OCt. 3, 1911
25 Campus Center, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Va. 23185
Newsroom (757) 221-3283 — Advertising Dept. (757) 221-3283 / [email protected]
Editor [email protected] [email protected]
Sports [email protected]
Opinions [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Katherine Chiglinsky News EditorMeredith Ramey News Editor
Abby Boyle Variety EditorSarah Caspari Variety Editor
Mike Barnes Sports EditorJared Foretek Sports Editor
Ellen Wexler Opinions Editor
Stephanie Hubbard Copy ChiefAnita Jiang Photo EditorJung Hyun Lee Photo EditorZach Hardy Online EditorMichelle Gabro Chief PhotographerElizabeth DeBusk Editorial Writer
Chris McKenna Chief Staff Writer
Katherine Hoptay Copy Chief
weight across the globe. “The reputation of [the College] is very strong globally, as well as
here [in the United States],” Broadus said. “[The College’s] history counts for a great deal in international markets. The ability to talk about a place that has been on the cutting edge of higher education even longer than the [United States] has been a country is a very compelling message.”
International students are not appealing students to American universities just because they increase the diversity of the student body. The Huffington Post reports they have to pay full tuition and do not receive financial aid. Broaddus confirmed that since the College provides aid through the federal government, it would be illegal to give aid to a non-U.S. citizen. The College requires that international applicants demonstrate the ability to pay in full.
“We have to make sure that it’s an affordable option,” Broaddus said.At some universities, international students struggle to fit in.
Last year, the Wendy and Emery Reves Center for International Studies teamed up with the Office of Admissions to hold a focus group with Chinese students. Many students said they chose the College because the environment was welcoming, and they would be forced to make American friends. Sieh and Zhou agree that the community is open.
“The community here at [the College] is really good— very welcoming,” Sieh said. “It’s the best I’ve ever seen. It really helps ease the transition because you have so much fun here, you barely have time to miss your family.”
While Sieh says he tries to “break the mold” and make all types of friends, he wants people to cut international students some slack.
“The reason international students stay together is not because they don’t want to make friends with American students, it’s because it is hard,” Sieh said. “There are language and cultural barriers.”
Sieh says he plans to stay in the United States after he graduates. Zhou Skypes with her family once a week, but she will not see them until this summer. She is undecided about whether she will remain here after she graduates.
“I really enjoy my time here, but of course sometimes I feel depressed because my family is not around,” Zhou said.
While these students adjust to life in the United States, Broaddus sees the importance in having international students on campus.
“With every sector right now, if you’re not a global institution, you’re not relevant,” Broaddus said. “We think it is critically important that [the College] be a global institution because it’s what ensures that all of our undergraduates get the benefit of having a diverse group of peers.”
both things — the stepping stone and life experience. There’s a difference between being a student at this point in your life, and being a student at a later point in your life.”
Additionally, according to the study, the number of first-time degree-seeking students increased.
“The number of first-generation college students in recent freshman classes has ranged from 140 to 152, and the admission office certainly seeks to enroll top students who will be the first members of their families to attend college,” Dean of Undergraduate Admission Henry Broaddus said.
Broaddus mentioned that enrollment at
smaller universities such as the College is probably not contributing significantly to the trend of increasing college completion.
“That said, I expect the bigger impact on the statistic ... was enrollment growth at larger universities and the rise in alternative ways to complete a bachelor’s degree, including online degree programs,” Broaddus said.
the office door, or otherwise made available to students. Faculty members shall also be available to students for consultation by appointment.”
However, there are no definitive rules regarding the number of office hours professors must hold. Visiting assistant professor in English and literary and cultural studies Dr. Sharon L. Zuber explained that strict hours are often useless to students.
“Few students use the regular hours, which is why the ‘by appointment’ [hours are] so important,” Zuber said. “I find it easiest to just find a time when a student is free to meet.”
Associate professor of religious studies Julie Galambush noted that a failure to comply with the handbook can lead to substantial ramifications.
“If someone does not have posted hours, the [department] chair tells them to get with the program,” Galambush said. “If someone is clearly not keeping office hours, the department personnel committee takes this into account in their annual
‘merit evaluation,’ something all faculty go through every year.”
With clear expectations in place, the problem with office hours may lie with the students rather than professors. Associate professor of American studies and English Arthur Knight advertises hours via syllabi, class announcements and start-of-term emails.
“I’m always surprised by how few students use office hours, and I’ve had many colleagues say the same thing,” Knight said, conceding. “This might be exacerbated in my case by the fact that my office is a bit off the beaten path.”
Galambush noted that students’ busy schedules and numerous distractions might be to blame for the lack of office hour attendance.
“Since the advent of email, students have become less and less likely to come by the office during office hours,” Galambush said. “This is entirely understandable, as email is so much quicker and easier as a means of communication.”
Mimi Carolus-Hager ’16 acknowledged the benefit of office hours but also said she does not
attend them regularly. “[Students] need to be able to take responsibility
for our own academic careers,” Carolus-Hager said. “So as long as professors make sure to be there when we reach out to them, I think they’re doing their jobs.”
Brian Browning ’16 noted that office hour attendance seems to correlate directly with good grades.
“I have had two professors that urge the use of office hours. Those are the classes I am doing best in,” Browning said.
Office hours are often recommended for students who are struggling with the material, but most faculty members also extend the invitation to students who are simply interested in building a strong relationship with a professor.
“Getting to know your professors better can help a student negotiate all the demands of college, as well as [allow the professor to] answer specific questions about the course content,” Zuber said.
In order to facilitate a productive meeting, Knight recommended that students approach professors
with specific questions or topics. “Getting better acquainted with professors in their
office hours also puts them in a better position to supply detailed, individualized recommendations for a student down the road,” Knight said. “Office hours give a professor more of a sense of her or his students’ thinking, which can then be brought back into the classroom to make the work that happens there more effective. I really recommend students make it a policy to visit office hours for each of their classes at least once a semester.”
Galambush explained the long-term benefits of office hour attendance, noting that strong student-faculty relationships are conducive to good letters of recommendation.
“Years ago, I taught someone whose father had offered her a substantial gift if she promised always to stop by her professors’ offices at the beginning of the semester to introduce herself,” Galambush said. “She did so; she was also one of the most successful students I have taught, and someone whose name and face I easily recall almost 20 years later.”
The College of William and Mary does not offer long term counseling at the Counseling Center. Instead, students must drive or take a bus to off-campus therapists. According to Lexi Mellis ’14, this can cause undue stress on already stressed students with full course loads and other organizational commitments, especially for those who don’t own cars.
To combat this hardship, Student Assembly Chair Kendall Lorenzen ’15 is sponsoring a bill to partially fund the Tribe Rides initiative, spearheaded by Mellis. The bill proposes the allocation of $3,000 to Tribe Rides.
“Students don’t feel particularly supported … and not a lot is going on to actually help them,” Mellis said. “The College does not offer long term counseling for any reason … for students with no car or particularly for students with heavy course loads or jobs where they can’t take a two hour bus ride … cab rides are the only option.
…If [the Counseling Center] offered long term care to everyone who asked for it they could only serve the 50 students they received at the beginning of the semester.”
Mellis’s program will offer a 50 percent subsidy for the cost for cab rides to mental healthcare providers. As this is a new program, there is not a to reference to finalize the total funds necessary for the program.
“We don’t know how many students will actually use the program,” Mellis said. “We know how many said they would, which is a lot. … [The proposed program] has already been approved by the Office of the Dean of Students.”
Questions arose as to the transparency of the initiative and how students will apply for the cab subsidies. As mental healthcare is a private problem, the Counseling Center will approve applications to procure these possible subsidies.
“All applications would go through the Dean of Students Office,” Lorenzen said. “Honestly, they won’t be able to have a lot of transparency, but it’s for the best of the students.”
Mellis stated that if the program grows too large, it will shift to a referral based system.
Mellis said the program will only need an additional $1,500 from the SA to help fund the start-up semester. She then plans to apply for various grants to decrease this figure in subsequent years. The success of the start-up semester will determine the grants obtained.
Lorenzen assigned the Tribe Rides Act to the Finance, the Policy and the Outreach committees.
Senator Colin Danly ’15 introduced the Yule Log Act. If passed, the act would allocate $1,000 to Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board to aid in funding the annual tradition.
“[The] two senior honors societies basically need $1,000 to run this cool event and we should give it to them,” Danly said.
Lorenzen introduced the Chillaxin’ All the Time II Act. This act will ensure the continual funding of the massage chairs on the first Swem Library first floor through a $17,700 three-year payment plan.
The new program requests $1,500, Lorenzen suggests allocating $3,000
Tribe Rides asks SA for start-up fundingStudent aSSembly
The F lat HatTuesday, November 27, 2012Page 3
Study cites altering public opinion of higher education in statistic change
National increase in college degree recepients
by meredith rameyflaT haT News ediTor
Students, faculty comment on professor accessibility
DEGREES from page 1
ACCESSIBILITY from page 1
INTERNATIONAL from page 1
Residence Life Student Staff Selection Residence Life Student Staff Selection Academic Year 2013 Academic Year 2013 -- 20142014
INFORMATION MEETINGSINFORMATION MEETINGS
Want to be an RA, HA, PA, HR, GRA, CD, HD? Learn about the process, eligibility, application timelines, Q&A.
Hear from current staff about their positions and how the job impacts them. While not required, candidates are encouraged to attend one of the sessions .
Day Date Time Location
Monday November 19 6:30pm Sadler Center Commonwealth Auditorium
Monday November 19 10:00pm Unit L Basement Lounge
Tuesday November 20 7:30pm Dawson Hall Basement Lounge
Monday November 26 8:30pm Jamestown South 1st Floor Lounge
Wednesday November 28 5:00pm Landrum Hall 1st Floor Parlor
Sunday December 2 6:30pm Tazewell Hall Basement Lounge
RA RA -- HA HA -- PA PA -- GRA GRA -- HR HR -- CD CD -- HDHD Website with All Pertinent Information
http://www.wm.edu/offices/residencelife/employment/student/index.php
Apply Online Only: Dec 3– Jan.14 (Noon)
hayley tymeSon / The flaT haTstudent assembly senators introduce new legislation in their meeting Nov. 19. The new bills included the Tribe rides act, Chillaxin’ all the Time ii act and the Yule log act.
National rise found in international applicants to U.S. collegesTribe continues to have worldwide draw
Email causes students to request meetings with professors rather than attend office hours
Tuesday, November 27, 2012 Page 4The F lat Hat Tuesday, November 27, 2012 Page 5The F lat Hat
FRESHMAN
YEARMove-in day.
Get ready to
sweat! +10
EARLY
DECISION
REGULAR DECISION
Pic
k yo
ur
Com
mon
Ap
p a
nd
su
pp
lem
enta
ry e
ssay
to
pic
s. +
10
Sub
mit
you
r ap
plic
atio
n. +
10
Accepted! Brag to
friends w
ho are still
waiting. +
10
Com
ple
te C
omm
on
Ap
p. +
10
Get great teacher recommendations. +10
Save time: u
se the sam
e essay for m
ultip
le schools. +10
Rock you
r in
terviews!
+10
Dec. 31, 11:59 p.m
.: sub
mit
all app
s! +10A
ccepted
to W&
M!
+10
Join your class’s Facebook
group. +10Get your roommate
assignment. +10
Spen
d too m
uch
mon
ey
at Target getting d
orm
sup
plies. -10
Host a going-
away party!
+10
CHO
OSE
FRESHM
AN
DO
RM
Sneeze while
taking your
ID photo. -1
0Orientatio
n! Get u
p at 7 a.m
.
and bond with
your hall.
+10
First day of classes.
Somehow
, you
made it everyw
here
on time. +10
Pu
ll your fi
rst all-n
ighter.
-10
Cam
p ou
t in
Swem
du
ring
fin
als week -10
CHO
OSE
GPA
Get an
A on
an
exam. +10
A great b
and
p
lays Ch
arter D
ay. +10
Dress u
p an
d
play C
ampu
s G
olf. +10
Get bu
mp
ed for
hou
sing. -10
Go h
ome for sp
ring
break w
ith th
e Fresh
man
15. -10
Get an internship!
But it’s unpaid. -10
Blow a .00 on spring
blowout and get a
t-shirt. +10
SOPHOMORE YEAR
Complete the
triathlon. +10Find a cockroach in
the shower. -10
Get elected to Honor Council.
+10
Take a boring class for a GER. -10
Trip on the bricks and
sprain your ankle. -10
Make friends with a professor at office hours. +10
Get
in a
figh
t
with
your
room
mat
e.
-10
Paint yourself green and gold for the homecoming game. +10
Red
vel
vet
cake
at t
he
Caf
. +10
CHO
OSE
MAJO
R
Your parents send you laundry
money. First load of clean clothes
of the year! +10
Register for sp
ring
semester —
B
ann
er crashes!
-10
Sleep through first
final. -10
Take the train to
D.C
. for a concert.
+10
Get
you
r Col
onia
l Will
iam
sbur
g
cide
r mug
. +10
Get pancakes at the Movie Tavern on a Saturday
morning. +10
Miss the bus and get stranded at Target. -10
Go to Blue Talon
for a free dinner
on your birthday
+10
Become an OA for
next year. +10
Do su
mm
er research
with
your favorite
professor. +10
Sexiled. -10
JUN
IOR
YEARMove into your
apartment. +10
Brin
g your
car to cam
pu
s. +10
Celeb
rate your 21st b
irthd
ay! W
ake up
in u
nkn
own
city. +10
Run out of Express
money. -10
Drop
your p
re-med
track an
d join
a new
clu
b. +10
Miss class w
hile lookin
g for a p
arking sp
ot. -10Fin
ish you
r G
ER
s! +10Stu
dy ab
road in
a cou
ntry you
’ve n
ever been
to. +10
Take a class in the Wren
Building. +10
Co-author a
research paper.
+10
Go on a Colonial
Williamsburg ghost tour. +10
Your fraternity/
sorority loses its
charter. -10
Your professor
cancels class. +10
Go on a spring
break service trip.
+10
Change your major.
-10
Registration — finally get
everything you wanted! +10
Inh
erit a hou
se close to cam
pu
s. +10
SENIO
R YEAR
No Friday classes!
+10
Become a TA. +10
Give wrong directions to
scared-looking freshman. -10
Greet the freshmen at
Convocation. Let the
nostalgia commence. +10
Skip to
o many
classes.
-10
Take the G
RE
. +10
Rea
lize
you
hav
e
enou
gh c
red
its
to
dec
lare
a m
inor
.
+10
Go to the Counseling
Center because of job
anxiety. -10
Forg
et w
hich d
ay
seco
nd sem
este
r
star
ts. -
10
Kiss someone
on the Crim D
ell
Bridge. +10
First job offer! +10
Order cap and
gown. Shed a
tear. +10
Realize that you want to
stay in college forever. -10
Jon Stewart agrees to be Commencement speaker. +10 Visit your freshman dorm on
blowout. Embarrass yourself. -10
Throw cap in the air at
Commencement. Lose
it. -10
Wal
k th
rou
gh th
e W
ren
B
uild
ing
for
the
last
tim
e as
a
stu
den
t. +1
0
COLLEGE EDITION
ABBY BOYLE / THE FLAT HAT
COURTESY PHOTO / JOHANNAJUNI.FILES.WORDPRESS.COM
Channel your childhood with a College-themed board game. To print out instructions and additional materials, visit flathatnews.com.
PAYMENT DUE
DEP
OSI
T D
UE
PAYMENT DUE
Ch
ange room
mates.
Switch
dorm
s with
anoth
er player.
PAYMEN
T D
UE
PAYMENT
DUE
PAYMENT DUE
PAYMENT
DUE
PAYM
ENT
DUE
PAYMENT DUE
PAYMENT DUE
PAYMENT
DUE
PAYMENT
DUE
PAYMEN
T D
UE
PAYMEN
T D
UE
PAYMEN
T D
UE
PAYMENT
DUE
PAYMENT
DUE
PAYMENT DUE
PAYMENT DUE
Ch
ange G
PA.
Switch
GPA
s with
an
other p
layer.
Ch
ange
GPA
.Sw
itch
GPA
s w
ith
an
oth
er
pla
yer.
Ch
ange G
PA.
Switch
GPA
s with
an
other p
layer.
PAYMENT DUE
Ch
ange m
ajor.Sw
itch m
ajors w
ith an
other
player.
Change major.
Switch majors
with another
player.
Change major.Switch majors with another
player.
Ch
ange m
ajor.Sw
itch m
ajors w
ith an
other
player.
REAL
WO
RLD
WASHINGTON, D.C.
MOM &
DAD’S
GRAPHIC BY PATRICIA RADICH / THE FLAT HAT
Change GPA.
Switch GPAs with
another player.
Walking out of a physics test, I checked my phone and saw three missed calls and seven new messages. I called one of my good friends, but she told me to check my email. This wasn’t something she wanted to say over the phone. So, I sat down on a bench at the sundial and opened the latest email in my inbox. It was from Vice President of Student Affairs Ginger Ambler ’88 Ph.D. ’06, and I scanned through it quickly, finally stopping on the word “suicide.”
I didn’t believe it at first. I started searching Ambler’s email for more distinguishing features to try to prove to myself that she wasn’t talking about the Whitney I knew, one of my freshman hallmates and a good friend. I had seen her the previous afternoon, walking her bike somewhere because the chain was broken, and she had been her bubbly and happy self. I only closed my computer when I read the exact name of her hometown.
I felt sick and numb, not really able to see anything around me. It happened to be during a class change period with swarms of people surging in different directions, but it was all I could do to stay on a straight path to Landrum, my dorm at the time. I was openly and uncontrollably crying when one of my friends stopped me, and I couldn’t find any words to explain what was going on. When I got to my room, I completely stopped crying. I shut down emotionally, and I wasn’t able to cry or really talk about my own feelings about Whitney’s suicide until some months later.
Issues regarding mental health have impacted everyone, including myself. As a neuroscience major, I can recite signs and symptoms of many mental illnesses. There are lists of them in our textbooks and on our tests. But what I had been studying at arm’s length got very personal during the summer before my junior year. I would wake up every morning feeling empty and fragile, and I didn’t particularly care if I made it to the next day
or not. I stopped having fun and began avoiding my friends so that I could watch TV alone in my bed. Most of the summer passed before I admitted that I was suffering from depression and needed help.
Asking for help made me feel completely vulnerable — suddenly all of my private thoughts and feelings were on display as symptoms of an illness. It felt like publicly admitting that I was weak and couldn’t take care of myself. It was from this exposed and raw place that I started to realize that it takes real courage to reach out for help.
After Whitney’s suicide, I saw what happens when someone feels like they don’t have any other options and no one left who can help them. From my own experience, I’ve seen how hard it is to admit you need help and how important it is to have people who are genuinely supportive and caring. So, last year, when Meghan Moore ’13, one of
my good friends, asked me to serve as the other Undersecretary of Mental Health for the Student Assembly, I accepted immediately.
When I talk to people around campus about my SA position, most people immediately start telling me their own stories about mental health. Sometimes I hear about family members or fellow students, but often the person tells me how they’ve struggled with mental illness. Many students, including myself, are a “work in progress.” Mental illness isn’t a problem you can fix — it’s something that takes continued effort to deal with and, over time, to accept and embrace.
Ultimately, the College of William and Mary is a community and should
be an unconditional support network for any student in trouble. No one should have to feel alone or isolated to the point that suicide seems like the only option. This year, Moore and I are trying to start a campus-wide conversation about mental health. We hope that by encouraging people to talk about mental health and illness openly, students will realize that it’s okay to get counseling, to take medication or just to talk with someone when they’re going through a rough time. We’re all part of one Tribe, and it’s time to start acting like it.
Email Katie Kaugers at [email protected].
““
From a young age we are probed with the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
As kids, we usually had a pretty good idea of what we wanted to be. While some of us dreamed of becoming ballerinas, astronauts or superheroes, others imagined themselves in the uniforms of police officers and firefighters or the scrubs of doctors.
Unfortunately for most of us, our childish innocence and wild imaginations were curbed when we realized that the jobs we fantasized about as children were impossible to snag or that the career field we intended to pursue hardly covers future bills — let alone rising college debt. Despite the economic problems today’s generation of hard-working idealists face, professors and advisors still encourage students to “follow their passion.” However, as one such New York University professor, Pamela Newkirk, wrote in a recent
Chronicle of Higher Education piece, “Today’s vexing realities now render reckless my past advice to students simply to do what they loved.”
With half of society encouraging future graduates to “go forth unafraid,” as Newkirk sometimes told her students, and the other half constantly reminding us of the desolate job market, many of us are stuck at a crossroads on what career to pursue. Fortunately, life isn’t simply black and white, and it is possible to enter a field you genuinely enjoy that can also provide economic stability. By following my more pragmatic advice of finding your sweet spot — the point where your passions intersect with your talents and your desired lifestyle — future graduates will discover that passion and practicality aren’t mutually exclusive and are both necessary in finding work fulfillment. Just ask yourself the following questions.
1) What is your passion and what drives you?
Undoubtedly work is a lot easier when we do the things we find interesting and feel passionate about. However, doing what you love doesn’t mean doing what you makes you happiest this very second. The key to doing what you love is doing something that will make you
happy over a significant period of time. If your interest lies in effecting change in your community, then consider a career in the government, the public school system or non-government organization.
Feeling passionate about your chosen career is critical. Many people spend their lives doing what they’re proficient in or what they feel they have to do without sincere interest. Feeling passionate about your job can lead to a stable career.
2) What are your talents? Passion and interest alone shouldn’t
dictate your career choices. There are plenty of people passionate about football, but they are better off rooting for Robert Griffin III and the Redskins from the comfort of their sofas. Therefore, when choosing a career, consider the things you excel at to narrow down your choices.
3) What lifestyle is important to you?
Once you have figured out something that allows you to live out your passion and highlights your talents, you must then decide whether your chosen vocation fits the lifestyle you want. You have to ask yourself: Are you willing to give up all that is familiar to you in search of that stellar job? Will that stellar
job provide you with an income to maintain your current lifestyle? What are you willing to sacrifice in order to live out your dream?
Contrary to Deloitte’s Shift Index survey that reports that 80 percent of workers hate their jobs, it is possible to find fulfillment in your career. You just have to find the career in which
natural talent, passion and lifestyle align. Unfortunately, most people are unable or unwilling to find this meeting place of passion, talent and happiness, which prevents them from understanding what they are truly capable of and who they really are.
Email Kristen Hill-Clemons at [email protected].
Staff Editorial
Culture at the College
Suddenly all of my private thoughts
and feelings were on display as symptoms
of an illness. It felt like publicly
admitting that I was weak and couldn’t
take care of myself. It was from this exposed and raw
place that I started to realize that it
takes real courage to reach out for help.
The College of William and Mary emphasizes study abroad programs as a means for students to develop cross-cultural perspectives and take learning outside of the classroom. The
study abroad program benefits many students at the College, but too often members of the student body forget the College is already a global campus. Even though the campus often seems alienated from the real world by a brick wall and colonial reenactors, students from all over the world come to the College to study.
Nationally, college applications from international students are on the rise. In the 2011-12 school year, the national average of international applicants jumped by six percent. The College puts a cap on the ratio of international students at six percent, which seems fair given the College has strict in-state quotas dictated by the state.
While this cap keeps international students a minority at the College, we believe the College needs to continue to improve its services to international students and encourage more interaction between domestic and international students to improve the learning experience for all students.
The College community needs to remember that adapting to a new culture comes with many challenges, something students studying abroad quickly learn. We support the College’s international freshmen orientation, which seeks to give international students a head start on college life; however, the College needs to look at all of its orientation programming to ensure all students can understand the valuable information discussed in orientation sessions. For example, many programs expect students to know certain terms, euphemisms and colloquialisms. Because of the cultural diversity of the student body at the College, some students may be unfamiliar with the these. While Orientation Aides are great resources for international students, there is still the possibility that a student will not feel comfortable asking for clarification. All orientation presenters need to take care to make sure that important information is presented explicitly to all students.
The study abroad programs improves the learning process and gives students new experiences and more in-depth looks at different cultures, but these programs are only successful because students take the opportunity to expose themselves to new cultures. While trekking to Morton Hall every day might not be as glamorous as visiting the Great Wall of China or the Eiffel Tower, all students at the College have opportunities to learn about different cultures. The Student Assembly’s fall break exchange exemplifies how students can open themselves up to new cultures. By encouraging more intensive interactions like this exchange, both domestic and international students are able to learn anout other cultures and foster new connections.
As members of the College community, we can talk about how diverse the College is for days on end, but diversity only counts if students take advantage of it. The College must serve the needs of international students to make the most of their experiences, and domestic students at the College must reach out to their international peers and take full advantage of the opportunities offered right here on campus.
Graphic by rachEl pullEy / the Flat hat
Is it still practical for us to pursue careers we’re passionate about?
opinionsThe F lat Hat
opinions Editor ellen [email protected]
| tuesday, November 27, 2012 | page 6
Kristen Hill-Clemonsthe Flat hat
by alliSon hickS, flat hat cartooniSt
Guest ColumNist Katie Kaugars
Mental health: starting a conversation
The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Flat Hat. The editorial board, which is elected by The Flat Hat’s section editors and executive staff, consists of Katherine Chiglinsky, Elizabeth DeBusk, Katie Demeria, Jill Found and Ellen Wexler. The Flat Hat welcomes submissions to the Opinions section. Limit letters to 250 words and columns to 650 words. Letters, columns, graphics and cartoons reflect the view of the author only. Email submissions to [email protected].
GuESt column
flat hat opinion pollS
Yes, the College as a whole is very accepting.
Yes, but it could be more friendly.
do you think the college is lGbtQ friendly?
poll by Zach hardy
No.
60%
30%
10%
BY MIKE BARNESFLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR
Young teams embody promise, energy and enthusiasm. In spite of their promise, they also go through growing pains.
William and Mary, a relatively young team, turned in a dominant first-half performance Friday in Winston-Salem, N.C., but ultimately showed it still had much to learn after allowing Wake Forest to rally for a 63-57 win. The Tribe, fresh off its first loss of the season to Miami (Ohio), allowed the Demon Deacons to score 40 second-half points, erasing a seven-point halftime advantage.
The College (3-2) entered the contest searching for a marquee victory over an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent, but instead struggled late in the game.
“I’m disappointed we let that get away from us, that’s for sure,” head coach Tony Shaver said. “I thought we played hard enough to win — we played with championship effort tonight — [but] we didn’t execute well enough in the second half to win.”
The Tribe scored at will in the first half and consistently outhustled the Wake Forest (3-2) defense, putting up 30 first-half points on a 44 percent
shooting effort. The Tribe defense puzzled the Demon Deacons in the first half as well, as Wake Forest made just nine first-half shots from the field.
In the second half, though, the Deacons flipped the script and employed a puzzling defense of their own. Wake Forest, whose players are all of similar height, had its players switch positions, causing the College to encounter a litany of mismatches.
“We got off to a great start; our execution was so good early,” Shaver said. “They began to switch out every screen, and their size really bothered us. … When they switched their point guard on Tim Rusthoven, we weren’t able to get him the ball as consistently as we should have, and that was a big strategic change that they made that hurt us. … Our guards were driving against 6’9 players, and it’s tougher.”
Sophomore guard Marcus Thornton led the Tribe with 17 points on a 7 for 13 shooting night. Rusthoven, mired in foul trouble for a significant portion of the game, scored 11 points, while junior guard Brandon Britt contributed nine. As a whole, the Tribe did not shoot well from beyond the arc, netting just 22 percent from three-point range.
While the Tribe’s shooters cooled in the second half, the College also committed a number of turnovers at
inopportune times, slowing any momentum. Turnovers didn’t help the College’s cause, but
a number of second-half fouls doomed the Tribe’s chances. The College, which had committed a great deal of late fouls against Miami (Ohio), fouled the Deacons frequently in the second half, slowing down the game and allowing Wake Forest to convert easy points.
“One huge stat: When you come in on an ACC opponent’s home floor and out-rebound them, is outstanding, but they shot 23 second half-free throws, and we shot nine,” Shaver said. “We lost that stat, and it was a huge difference in this ballgame.”
Despite the Tribe’s propensity to foul, it had a number of chances late in the contest. Thornton nailed a three and junior forward Kyle Gaillard made a free throw to cut the Wake Forest lead to just one point with 2 minutes, 32 seconds remaining in the contest, but the Deacons drilled free throws down the stretch to quell any hopes of a Tribe comeback.
Although the College struggled in the second half, Shaver was impressed with his team and would like to see a more consistent performance beginning Wednesday against Richmond.
“If we play this hard, and clean up our execution, there are good things ahead for us,” Shaver said.
sports The F lat Hat | Tuesday, November 27, 2012 | Page 7
Sports Editor Mike BarnesSports Editor Jared Foretek
See TRACK page 7
Junior forward Kyle Gaillard scored five points Friday.COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS
College splits games in TexasTribe falls to 2-4 after tourney
BY JACK POWERSFLAT HAT STAFF WRITER
While the rest of the student body was busy catching up on rest and gorging themselves on leftover turkey sandwiches, William and Mary traveled to San Antonio for the annual UTSA Thanksgiving Classic, hoping to jumpstart its season after a disappointing 1-3 start.
The tournament was an up-and-down affair, with the Tribe’s two performances polar opposites of one another. The Tribe dispatched Austin Peay (1-5) easily in its first matchup Saturday but lost 50-76 the next day by the host, University of Texas at San Antonio (5-1).
Saturday’s contest was a shooter’s delight for the Tribe. The squad shot an impressive 56 percent from the floor and sunk 12 three-pointers. Four Tribe players were in double digits, including senior guard Taylor Hilton, who paced the group with a season-high 23 points. Senior guard Janine Aldridge, who has gotten off to a solid start this season, had another banner shooting day, going 8 for 11 from the field to register 22 points, 15 of which were from beyond the arc.
The College’s first four minutes in the UTSA Thanksgiving Classic were, by any measure, its finest. Firing on all cylinders, the Tribe overwhelmed Austin Peay early to claim an 18-2 advantage. This advantage was all the Tribe really needed as they protected their lead until the final buzzer.
Austin Peay refused to give in completely, fighting back time after time, but the Tribe was able to keep a healthy advantage throughout because of its brilliant shooting in both halves. Senior center Emily Correal notched the only offensive rebound during the game — a feat most likely achieved because there were precious few Tribe shots that didn’t go sailing smoothly through the net.
Saturday’s game was a feast for all as the Tribe players spread the scoring wealth across the court with 21 assists, led by Hilton’s eight. Additionally, all 12 players saw action in the game and all but two scored.
Despite the Tribe’s impressive performance Saturday, it suffered a significant setback Sunday against University of Texas at San Antonio. In fact, Sunday’s game played out like the tragic foil of Saturday’s game. The only similarity between the two games — Hilton was again the Tribe’s leading scorer, but the senior managed just 13 points against the Roadrunners. The only other double-digit scorer was sophomore forward Jazmen Boone with 10 points.
The College was able to keep it tight for the first 10 minutes before the flood gates opened. The key to the game was UTSA’s superior size, which led to them dominating the rebounds 33 to 20. The Tribe shooters who were so lethal the previous day fell silent Sunday, tallying only four three-pointers, a third of their previous mark. The Tribe’s offensive performance was most exemplified by their low-post stalwart Correal, who was a putrid two of 13 from the field.
There were a few bright spots in the bleak, UTSA-dominated contest — sophomore guard Anna Kestler exchanging a career-high six assists and Janine Aldridge scoring her 1000th collegiate point, making her one of only 15 players in program history to reach this milestone.
The Tribe left San Antonio with a 2-4 record and will attempt to get closer to .500 when it visits Navy Tuesday.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Soosan Hall stood at the front desk of the Williamsburg Regional Library, two “Dora the Explorer” books in hand. Her four-year-old daughter Jesse Hall played beneath the railing separating
the checkout counter from other waiting customers. She had a bandage on her right hand, but it didn’t stop her from grabbing the railing and swinging idly beneath it, watching her mother exchange casual greetings with the librarian.
The two look, in most respects, perfectly normal. Only one thing could have caused onlookers to pause — Soosan’s shaved head. Though not necessarily an uncommon characteristic, her shaved head could easily be associated with a word that has become all too familiar in Soosan and Jesse’s lives: cancer.
They walked out of the library and headed toward the fountain across the street.
Jesse ran ahead. “Mommy, I want to play in the fountain.”
Soosan said she could play around it, but not go in. “You can’t get your tubies wet.”
The bandage on Jessie’s hand concealed a series of tubes that had been used earlier in the day to inject five milliliters of radioactive isotope into her arm. These isotopes were used to light up the tumor in her left side. They were left in her arm so that when she and Soosan woke at 5 a.m. the next day to return to the nephrologist, the doctors would not have to stick her again.
Two years ago, Jesse was diagnosed with Stage Three High Risk Neuroblastoma, a cancer that affects children under six years old. If it develops before the child is 12 months old, the body may be able to fight it on its own. Jesse, though, was two when the cancer revealed itself.
Matt Crisafi, a redshirt junior offensive lineman on the William and Mary football team, heard about Soosan and Jesse from a mutual friend.
“I work at Two Rivers Country Club, at the golf course, and one of my colleagues at work, Denise [Kelley], had mentioned that she knows the family really well,” Crisafi said.
Soosan reached out to the Tribe football team with the help of Heather Harmon, an organizer for St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a childhood cancer charity based in California. The two met through a previous fundraiser that St. Baldrick’s held to
help raise money for Jesse’s medical expenses.
Harmon and Soosan organized a head-shaving fundraiser Sept. 20 at the Colonial Heritage Club. Hoping to make it a community event, they invited the Tribe football team.
“Heather put out a challenge for them because [William and Mary] had the perfect colors,” Soosan said. “Gold is the color for childhood cancer and green is St. Baldrick’s.”
After hearing about the event again through Harmon’s challenge, Crisafi began asking his teammates if they would be interested in attending and shaving their heads for Jesse.
Every player Crisafi spoke to wanted to participate.
With the fear that bringing 100 football players to the event might be too much, Crisafi was able to get twenty players to attend and shave their heads.
“It was something that we all wanted to do and makes us feel good,” Crisafi said. “It’s nice that we play football and do all this stuff, and people may or may not look up to us, but when we can go out in the community and actually see someone just look at you and smile, just because you’re something bigger than what you really are, it’s cool.”
The football team’s participation in the head shaving event was a surprise to Jesse, and Crisafi said she lit up when the players arrived.
“She was obviously kind of overwhelmed that there were so many people there,” Crisafi said. “But it was nice, and she was easy to talk to and had a big smile. Just us being there cheered her up.”
Crisafi was surprised by the reaction to the fundraiser. He had not expected that every player involved would shave his head. Players continued to talk about Jesse over the weekend, and at the following game many parents were excited to see their sons’ shaved heads and learn about Jesse.
“It’s incredible how much work they have to put in to just be on the team and to have time to do anything else in the season is definitely a sacrifice,” Senior Assistant Athletic Director Peter Clawson said.
Jesse’s condition is currently stable, and, according to Soosan, the biggest obstacle now is shrinking her kidney.
“It’s a tumor around her aorta and vena cava, below her kidneys, that is squeezing the left ureter shut,” Soosan said. “And that is causing the left kidney to become a balloon, in essence.”
The inspiration for the head shaving event came to Soosan after St. Baldrick’s awarded a $250,000 grant to Jesse’s physician, Dr. Eric Lowe of Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughter, a pediatric hospital in Norfolk, Va. Soosan hoped to raise money for the foundation in order to help Lowe with his research pursuits.
“We figured that would be a great way for us to say thank you for all [Dr. Lowe has] done to help her,” Soosan said.
Research is especially important to patients with Jesse’s type of cancer in particular because it has allowed for new types of treatments, vastly increasing the survival rate for Neuroblastoma patients. Previously, the only type of therapy available was MIBG, which makes children so radioactive that only their parents — not even nurses — are allowed in the room with them. Thanks to research, Jesse was lucky enough to receive amino therapy instead.
The path to diagnosing Jesse’s cancer was marked with several other diagnoses. Initially her physicians thought she was suffering from an ear infection, but as she became progressively sicker, she was suspected of having a kidney infection.
Her kidneys were a major concern for her parents and doctors. Soosan first suspected that something was seriously wrong when two-year-old Jesse walked into the kitchen, grabbed her back just where her left kidney was located, and cried that it was hurting.
It took two years of treatment to get Jesse to her stable condition.
“It’s hard to know that it’s still in there,” Soosan said. “It just takes one little cell that goes haywire to bring it back.”
Based on the event’s positive response, Crisafi hopes to continue the Tribe’s involvement in the future, making the event a consistent part of the team’s fall schedule.
Soosan expressed hope that community involvement in future events would continue to include more Tribe teams and other campus groups.
“We would love to have the support,” she said.
Tribe loses first-half lead, falls to Wake ForestMEN’S BASKETBALL
Wake Forest scores 40 points in second half, stymies Tribe offense to claim victory
off the topFOOTBALL
The football team, led by Matt Crisafi, lost a little hair but made a big difference
off the top
Soosan Hall’s daughter, Jesse, was diagnosed with cancer.KATIE DEMERIA / THE FLAT HAT
On Sept. 20, members of the Tribe football team gathered to shave their heads in order to raise awareness for cancer.COURTESY PHOTO / GRESSIT PHOTOGRAPHY
BY KATIE DEMERIA // FLAT HAT EXECUTIVE EDITOR
The F lat Hat Tuesday, November 27, 2012 Page 8