OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080501/WLURG39_RTP_20080501_001.2.txt It’s been quitethe excmngvnntsrhutaae‘ events ofthelasi month's may not fit in with aluainl aria §te;artng1mm the ‘fofficIai" sources this weekend. wanttoxnow:w:;a£fs,rea,rryg¢lngon?f Gheck Inside.’ V _ . ’ * ' s ‘ t E OPINIONS / Pageja» at WASHINGTO LEE UNIVERSITY HE RI -T UM PHI. THUR5°AYaMAV1v2°°3 BY THE STUDENTS AND FOR THE STUDENTS SINCE 1897 V°'-UMECXLNUMPER13 O etWl7“’ 7-jm . to ' URESY O PHOTO C0 ta Work vs. play Groups spend spring break serving and learning around the world By Alllson chopln N EWS EDITOR In addition to the chance to relax in the sun and visit friends and family, this past spring break also provided several unique opportunities for W&L students to live and work with communities in need. Members of Project Nicaragua, a student-run organization that aims to ed- ucate American students about Nicaragua and create a bond between the two cultures, traveled to the small community of Amparo, outside of Siuna in Nica- ragua. The trip was made possible by Bridges to Community, a national non-profit organization. Junior Mallory Ruymann, who led the trip, explained that the students worked alongside members of the community, completing activities such as cooking, clearing fields and building latrines. “Typically, we live with a family for a week in a remote location, usually on the Atlantic coast, the poorest area of Nicaragua. We work with the family and their community engaging in building projects, farming and learning about sus- tainable development,” she said. In living and working with the Nicaraguans, a primary goal of the trip was to develop a cultural perspective. “The main idea is to meet the Nicaraguans and understand what their lives are like,” said senior Keri Klein. Ruymann also emphasized these “cross-cultural exchange activities.” “Basically, it was a complete cultural immersion from which we were able to learn things about Nicaragua not found in textbooks,” she said. The students also spent time interacting with students from URRACAN, a local university, so that they could “leam from people our own age about Nica- ragua’s various economic and social problems,” explained Ruymann. Members of the group plan—to4;se—their new cultural knowledge in order to educate their fellow students. Ruymann said she would like to see more partici- pation in the trip in future years. A slide show of the trip will be presented later in the term. “Project Nicaragua attempts to educate the campus in some way about the importance of global citizenship,” Ruymann said. Another group of students, representing Generals’ Christian Fellowship (GCF), an inter-denominational Christian organization on campus, also partici- pated in a service trip. They traveled to Bequia, a small Caribbean island that is part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Members of the group helped to build an apartment for a church so that the church will be able to hire a pastor. The students were able to complete the walls of the apartment during their trip. ‘ “It was really exciting because Bequia is still very old-fashioned in their building methods. The only tools we had were trowels, shovels, and buckets. [There was] no concrete mixer,” freshman Sarah Warsco said. , Like the members of Project Nicaragua, GCF members also had the opportu- nity to learn about the unique culture of the community they visited. “We were able to watch the fishermen coming in with boats filled with fish and even sharks,” said Warsco. “We were able to watch the whaling ship go out everyday, and we even saw a game of cricket on TV.” For Warsco, the cultural interaction was just as fulfilling as the physical labor that the group completed. “It was amazing to spend so much time with the locals and to learn about their culture,” she summarized. New restaurant on its way to Lex New restaurant plans to open this summer in historic Wilson— Walker house By Jordan Mcconnel STAFF WRITER Washington and Lee Univer- sity students and Lexington resi- dents will soon have a new place to dine from early in the mom- ing to late into the night. Better yet, the new restaurant, which is planned to offer a contemporary feel and menu, will also reflect the historic roots and culture‘ of Lexington. At least that’s the hope of Roanoke restaurateur Richard Macher, who plans to open a Macado’s restaurant in the for- mer Wilson-Walker House, 30 N. Main St., late this summer. The space has been empty since Wilson-Walker house closed its doors more than two years ago. Macher says that this restau- rant, like the other 14 Macado’s he owns and operates, will offer a modern flair while also draw- ing on local culture. He calls this unique feel “funky metro.” “We’re going for a little bit more of a modern look,” Macher said. “We want people to feel the energy of it.” Chris Lumpkin, the decorator of the new Macado’s, said they are going for the “old feel with the new thing.” Macher plans to maintain the integrity of the Wilson-Walker House, which was built in 1820 and is included in the Historic American Buildings Survey. Macher said he has been ap- proved by the Virginia Depart- ment of Historic Resources, which grants federal and state tax credits for rehabilitated his- torical buildings. “We’ve hired a historical ar- chitect,” he said. Macher said he also plans to “eBay anything ‘Lexingtonish”’ to enhance the local flavor of the restaurant. So far, Macher has already torn down a wall on the main floor that was added in the 1980s. He said the wall broke up the space of the first floor. “One of the challenges was the rooms were too small,” Ma- cher said. “I want it to be fun, not cubbyholeish.” In the space where the wall was removed, Macher plans to put an L-shaped bar with a sandwiches, Macado’s will also serve appetizers, soups, salads, entrees and desserts. “We cater to everybody,” Ma- cher said. “We have kids’ night, quick lunch and localized deliv- ery.” In addition to its assorted “We ’re going for a little bit more of a modern look. We want people to feel the energy of it. ” Rlchard Macher, Owner of Macado’s back-lit glass display case. On the main floor, there will also be a retail area, and both high- and low-topped tables. Seating will also be available upstairs and on the two front porches. Macado’s will offer a varied menu that will suit all types of people. Although famous for its menu, Macado’s hours are unique. It will open at 8 a.m. all days of the week and close at 12 am. Sunday through Thursday and 2 a.m. on Friday and Satur- day, providing the perfect place for both early-risers and students with late night munchies. Despite these competitive hours and varied menu, local business owners and managers don’t seem to be concerned about the opening of a new restaurant. Mike Gregg, who owns and op- erates the Blue Sky Bakery with his wife Brenda, doesn’t think the opening of Macado’s will af- fect his business. “People come here because of the speed,” Gregg said. “Peo- ple that go somewhere like that expect table service.” Kelly Pate, a manager at the Palms, said their business may be affected initially, but in the long run, the Palms will be fine. “With any new business, in the beginning, everyone’s going to go, but we’ve been here since ’75,” Pate said. Macher, who lives in Roa- noke, is planning on coming up every couple of weeks to check on the restaurant. He also plans to have a general manager from another Macado’s come and look over the new restaurant. OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080501/WLURG39_RTP_20080501_002.2.txt 2 0 THE RING-TUM PHI UNNERSITY LIBRARY WASHIMETON & LEE UNIVERSITY LEXlNGTON, VA 24450 new THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2008 Fellowships roll in Although Washington and Lee is notorious for its thriv- ing Greek scene and party atmosphere, recent student achievements prove that W&L students also know how to work as hard as they play. Need proof? Look no far- ther than the list of fellowships that students are piling up. This year, a Watson fellowship was awarded to Mary Childs, a se- nior business journalism ma- jor, for her project titled “The Eye of the Beholder: The Car- tography of Faces,” a study of the influence of environment on human facial structure. The Watson Fellowship is a very competitive research grant of $25,000 that is given annually to 50 students from private liberal arts schools nationwide. As a Watson fel- low, Childs will travel abroad to work in France, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, China, Brazil and Morocco. W&L has now won four fellowships in the last three years. Ben Long is currently abroad studying cattle_ fann- ing on the Watson Fellow- ship. Wheeler Sparks studied music around the world after his graduation in 2006. He travelled to several different countries to study different music styles and write his own songs. That same year, Adam Jarzyk traveled throughout southeast Asia studying the region’s cuisine. According to the Watson fellowship website, the pro- gram is designed to “to offer college graduates of unusual promise a year of indepen- dent, purposeful exploration and travel outside of the Unit- ed States in order to enhance their capacity for resourceful- ness, imagination, openness, and leadership and to foster their humane and effective participation in the world community.” Childs won’t be the only graduate heading abroad. Se- nior Emma Axt won a Ful- bright Scholarship to teach English in France. Recently, senior Drew Mc- Way was also awarded a grant from 100 Projects for Peace, an organization that, accord- ing to the W&L website, “in- vites undergraduate students to submit [project propos- als that enhance] the idea of world peace.” ' Mcway, an accounting and business administration major from the class of 2008, plans to travel to Northern Peru, where he will work with a small microfinance group called Sinergia, an organiza- tion that “loans money to fe- males who dream of owning their own business” and has “successfully issued loans to over 100 women in the pov- erty-stricken Wachanzao bar- rio in northern Peru.” Although many national academic awards are given to undergraduate juniors and seniors, the hard work of un- derclassmen does not go un- noticed. This year, for his ac- complishments in the study of physics, sophomore Joseph McDonald was awarded the Students take home Watson, Goldwater and more By Robert Wason smrr wmrsn prestigious Goldwater Schol- arship, an honor given to only 321 students nationwide. Goldwater Scholarships are awarded to students who excel in mathematics, engi- neering and natural sciences. They were created to encour- age American students to study these subjects. Not to be outdone, a pair of freshmen also got into the act by being named Kemper Scholars. W&L has had one Kemper Scholar each of the last three years, but this year the committee chose both Eric Hamscher and Cheng- peng Mou. Kemper Scholars receive financial aid for the rest of their college career and participate in two internships. The foundation awards schol- arships to students at liberal arts institutions nationwide. More information about recent academic awards, as well as instructions on how to apply for scholarships and grants, can be found online at the W&L website. ‘weflcame stop bid the ca veer services Tabte 0|/L Cavwtavt qrcevt from 11230-2 om. satwolag! WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY CAREERSERVICES Oil Exchange & Lube 754 North Lee Hwy. Across from Tractor Supply 540-463-5020 Save $1.00 —— Show W&L ID PROPERTIES FOR RENT Lexington Company REALTORS Residential Properties Vacation Rentals ~ week and weekend rates Commercial Located in The Historic Dutch Inn 114 West Washington Street Suite 101 Lexington, Virginia 24450 Amy M. Gianniny Broker/Owner 540.464.3922 OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080501/WLURG39_RTP_20080501_003.2.txt THE RING-TUM PHI ° 3 THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2008 pinions ‘CONTRIBUTING WRITERS -——-——-——-— WASHINGTON AND LEE UNNERSITY THE RING-TUM PHI. JACOB GEIGER ALLISON CHOPIN GRACE WANG STACEY GRIJALVA MICHAEL KEENAN WILL DORRANCE ANDY RUBIN MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITORS OPINIONS EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR COPY EDITORS CELESTE CRUZ- CARANDANG KEVIN CORN ABEL DELGADO MICHAEL MORELLA JESS STEINMETZ ROBERT WASON RUSS WEEMS DESIGN EDITOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER BUSINESS MANAGER DISTRIBUTION MNGR. LARA JORDAN LENORA NUNNLEY CHARLES PERSONS STROCK MOORE MISSION STATEMENT: It is the mission of THE RING-TUM PHI to accurately, truthfully, and thoroughly report news affecting the Washington and Lee community for students. faculty, parents and alumni. Our goal is to look deeper into news affecting campus life and hold leaders accountable. Through our reporting, we aspire to spark discussions that lead to discovering information that prompts change. THE RING-TUM PHI IS PUBLISHED MONDAYS DURING THE UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOL YEAR. THE RING-TUM PHI IS A MEMBER OF THE MEDIA BOARD, BUT IS OTHERWISE INDEPENDENT. QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE PHI SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE EDITORS AT PHI@WLU.EDU OR TO THE MEDIA BOARD AT MEDIABOARD@WLU.EDU. THE MEDIA BOARD IS AN INDEPENDENT, STUDENT—RUN EDITORIAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WORKING WITH ALL MEDIA OUTLETS ON THE WASHINGTON & LEE CAMPUS. ALL INQUIRIES WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. THE RING-TUM PHI WELCOMES ALL LETTERS. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT SUBMISSIONS FOR CONTENT AND LENGTH. LETTERS AND ADVERTISING DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE OPINION OF THE RING-TUM PHI STAFF. THIS NEWSPAPER OBSERVES CURRENT COURT DEFINITIONS OF LIBEL AND OBSCENITY. THE RING-TUM PHI UNIVERSITY COMMONS ROOM. 341 WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA 24450 TELEPHONE: (540) 458-4060 FAX: (540) 458-4059 EMAIL: PHI@WLU.EDU SUBSCRIPTION RATE $45 tatfeditorial Who is Barack Obama? Please use your ace orator skills to answer questions By Abel Delgado c 0 Lu M N l sr Dear Senator and Future Crowned Presi- dent Obama, I like your words. As a college student and young first-time voter, I have learned that I am required to vote for_you according to the laws established by polls, punditry, and physics. I «certainly cannot protest. After all, I like the idea of being “an agent of change,” and the word change appears just about everywhere you go. I’m beginning to think the word should be part of your oflicial name. Barack “Change” Obama has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? - I’m surprised we haven’t skipped this whole messy primary and general election process and just made you president already because everyone I know is pro—change. And what type of change-agent will I be if I don’t blindly follow the hordes of people flocking to your campaign and voting for you? Not a very good one, I presume. But before I give you my vote, I’d like to humbly ask you a few questions. We all know you were born to be presi- dent. As even the Republican Senator Mitch McConnell is willing to admit, your current opponent is a New York Senator born in 11- linois and you are an Illinois Senator born in a manger. So my question is, what took you so long? Shouldn’t you have come to promi- nence in your early 30s? You say your time living abroad during childhood gives you the experience needed to make sound foreign policy decisions. I will be studying abroad this year. By your reasoning, do you think if I win a seat in the House of Representatives at 25, I can chair the Foreign Relations Committee based on the deep expe- riences I gained while abroad? You have been called a post-partisan re- former but I have been unable to find much, if any, reform bills you sponsored or supported either in the Illinois Senate or the U.S. Senate. I’m sure you wouldn’t dare promote yourself as a reformer without actually reforming any- thing. I’m guessing there is a vast right wing conspiracy led by Hillary Clinton to erase all records of you taking down the special in- terests and promoting government reform, right? As for the post-partisan title, you surely cannot mean moving beyond the Democratic Party as well as the Republican Party. Your voting record, however brief, shows you to be entirely loyal to the Democratic Party platform. Not only do you not waste your time making compromises, but you even vote against Re- We all know you intend to be a welcome change from the mistakes and divisiveness of the past two presidential administrations... What is not explained, however, is what exactly you intend to change our Country to. publicans, as you have with measures promot- ed by the bi-partisan “Gang of l4.” Your voting record this past year ranks to the left of every other senator, so I’m guessing by post-partisan, you just mean you want to do away with the two party system and move to a post-partisan one party system where every- one agrees with you. Clearly, Republican par- tisanship or bi-partisanship efforts from either party do not suit you, so why not do away with it? Now that would be change! You have said you’re willing to meet other foreign leaders, even those who are homi- cidal dictators. Very brave of you! You say by speaking to them we can solve the problems that isolating them cannot solve. Obviously this must be due to your stellar speaking skills. Do you think you could have used those speaking skills to convince Stalin not to kill millions of people? If so, I’ll get working on my Obama time machine right away. I truly believe you offer a level of hope to this country that cannot be found elsewhere. Telling our generals and soldiers we’re in a war that we already lost and telling consumers and investors that we are in a deep recession is exactly the positive message that will move our country forward. Hearing you speak is almost a religious experience, but, as you so artfully stated, re- ligion is what bitter people cling to. Should I completely stop finding hope in religion and just cling to your campaign instead? I don’t want to end up bitter. Last, I have a few questions regarding your concept of change. Change from what is pretty obvious. We all know you intend to be a welcome change from the mistakes and divisiveness of the past two presidential ad- ministrations. Considering the unpopularity of the current Bush administration, running as change from it would do much to explain your poll numbers. What is not explained, however, is what exactly you intend to change our country to. Your voting record is rather anemic, consider- ing your brevity of stay in Congress and your long absences to hit the campaign trail. You speak in beautiful generalities and when you are pushed for specifics you offer the same ri- diculous, statist plans that the left has offered for decades. Surely you don’t mean this is change, and surely you are too smart to believe these plans will actually work. If I’m confused about what change you offer, I guess I’m con- fused about you. I guess my final question is, who are you? Neighborly support Hanging out with homeless people over Spring Break Did you hear? What the newsletters didn ’t mention Alumni, welcome back to campus! President Ruscio, the faculty and the alumni office will tell everyone how smoothly life is going on campus. In all likelihood, the administration won’t mention the exciting winter term we just en- joyed. ‘ One fraternity was suspended for hazing pledges, and another put a high school senior in the hospital after a special tequila party for honors scholar candidates. A Trident colunm led to special Media Board and EC hearings. A female student sent out a list of sorority members who were supposedly “DTF” (ask a student if you want to know what that stands for). Yes, this winter was not exactly W&L’s finest hour. But these incidents did more than prove that college students are occasionally guilty of bad judgment. They illustrated some deeper problems on this campus. The last few years have hardly been banner times for the fraternity system. Two houses have been suspended from campus for hazing. Kappa Sig was sent packing by its national organization, while the W&L Student Affairs Committee gave SAE the boot. Beyond these suspensions, several more houses have faced hazing investigations from either the school or national organizations in the last two years. Tear night was such a mess that the Interfratemity Council and Panhellenic Council, in cooperation with the student affairs staff, decided to form a Greek Vision council to look at the problems in our Greek system. Those problems extend beyond hazing to high rates of sexual assault, high use of Plan B emergency contraceptive after major party weekends along with violent and belligerent behavior towards Traveller drivers. The “bracket” column in the Trident has also raised a host of problems. Everyone agrees that the colunm was crude, offensive and inappropriate. But the aftermath has been equally disturbing. Before this incident, few people realized that the Executive Committee has the power to discipline student press organizations by removing funding, oflice space or even the right to use the words “Washington and Lee” on the masthead. Essentially, the government is allowed to punish the organizations charged with covering it. The First Amendment is an idea that faculty and the student government love to talk about in the classroom, but it’s not an idea they endorse in practice. Some professors were furious that the writers and editor weren’t forced to resign or severely punished by the school. And, last but not least, the list. Leaving aside the fact that a student actually thought it was a good idea to send out a list of sorority sisters who she thought would be willing to perform certain sexual acts, the ofiicial response was equally ham-handed. The school went after students who received and forwarded the e-mail, accusing them of participating in sexual harassment. That’s simply ridiculous. The person guilty of harassment is the list’s author. Yes, it would have been nice if students didn’t forward the e-mail, but threatening suspensions for students who saw the e-mail is way out of line. Yep, things are just great here at W&L these days, at least on the days when students, faculty and administrators manage not to act crazy. Enjoy your visit, and just nod along when someone tells you everything is going great. By Jess Steinmetz COLU M msr Everyone has encountered the homeless. Whether it was hand- ing out food in a soup kitchen or walking down the street in a city, we have all seen the faces of the homeless. My guess is that few Wash- ington and Lee students have truly known the homeless. In other words, few have had genu- ine relationships with the home- less. Knowing someone who is homeless completely changes one’s outlook on our society and how we confront the problem of homelessness. Ten other W&L students and I spent the week at Urban Min- istry Center, which serves people facing homelessness and poverty for the Alternative Spring Break. UMC’s mission is to address peo- ple’s needs with love, compas- sion and tangible help. The first day we arrived, we were told how much UMC values relationships. The staff believes that relation- ship building is key to moving in- dividuals out of homelessness. This really was reflected in the activities the staff organized for V: 21% ENE. Emir: ifitreei I 3.51% ' 5a‘i3~’i3¥§"8§3 $5.3} «étfzii-~?‘i W: %axin§%‘ce;:a=:3;>;s:3§,;r:: ti‘: if .9“ W. .3 ».:“2.at ~ :2»: us over the week. We did a few things to help the center—serving drinks, sorting the mail, helping in the kitchen, etc— but.most of the time, we just hung out and got to know the neighbors, the people whom the UMC serves. We ate lunch, watched a movie, went on a walk, painted, just sat around talking and my personal favorite -- played soccer with the neighbors. They were fabulous. The neighbors welcomed us with open arms and we quickly made unforgettable friends that we are still in contact with today. I was shocked at the pure joy and cheerfulness that many of them possessed in their everyday demeanor. In spite of their current situation, Patrick and Eddie, for example, always had on smiles that would light up anyone’s day. We discovered how much pure talent there was at the center. The choir was absolutely amazing, the art program featured artists whose work could easily sell at any fan- cy art gallery and the soccer team had many talented players. While the programs at UMC may seem to be unusual for a cen- ter dedicated to helping the home- less, the innovative programs are truly effective in engaging the neighbors, rekindling motivation, providing them with a productive outlet and developing life skills needed to help them transition to the next step in life. To date, sales from the art shows have grossed almost $50,000. Part of this money goes to the artists themselves and part goes back into the art program. For the past three years, the Street Soccer 945 team has represented the U.S. at the Homeless World Cup. Seventy-five percent of team members have moved off the streets, a clear indication of success. As I am sure my fi'iends who went on the trip will also attest, our experiences in Charlotte were amazing. I can only hope that more W&L students will be able to visit the UMC and similar places in the future so they too can build relationships with the homeless. I only wish our policymakers could have the same experience we had. If they did, homelessness would certainly become a priority for our nation. Timber Ridge Auto Center rm} Vallejy iliike l.-exirigton, VA .2-4430 {$49} 464-1997' Asa ea Flfiii) recs-1:»: was F'o:r:'-sigra and Do'mcstic Repatirs fltil cltarzge and Ltifirti, AM, 'CO3fi.'§}ltl€I’ Diagrtostics, i‘«*Ei.rlorzr1f:d Major IE.rrgi.ne llicpair, Brakes, l3ae'E lrrjectiriit Service, Transmi.ssinn. Service, C<::rol21.u:l; Flr:.sh_, i\;l.i,rrr:or and M 21301" Tune -£}}}S. Wt: cart pr*ot<'it§e factory aritlrorizerl main.l:ena.rr(:.e widierrt mit.ii1'rg your rrrz-r:rrat’actn res warranty. M for {T‘rra<:li't €Ta.:*.:i:: A‘ rfceptecf OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080501/WLURG39_RTP_20080501_004.2.txt 4 ° THE RING-TUM PHI THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2008 arts&life By Mlchael Morella STAFF WRITER While many students stocked up on sunscreen and packed car- ry—on luggage to celebrate spring beark at the beach, sophomore Kimber Wiggs had a different destination in mind: Turkey. This year, Wiggs joined 26 other Washington and Lee upper- classmen as part of the University Chamber Singers’ biennial spring concert tour. “It was really cool because we got to meet Turkish college students and hang out with them a little bit,” said Wiggs. The group performed all across the country — which straddles the border be- tween Eastern Europe and Asia — including a major television performance and stints at two major university concert halls. Since 1974, the Chamber Sing- ers has traveled across the globe . to perform under the direction of its conductor, Professor Gordon Spice of the Music Department. After 18 concert tours outside the United States, this trip marked the last for Spice, who will step down as conductor for the group at the end of the academic year. This spring’s trip began in An- kara, Turkey’s capital, where the group appeared on what Wiggs called “the Turkish equivalent of ‘Good Morning America. ’” After a successful television performance, the Chamber Sing- ers participated in a music work- shop with students from Gazi University, exchanging sheet music and breaking the language barrier through song. In addition to traditional jazz and spiritual American songs, the Chamber Singers’ repertoire also included pieces from the Czech Republic, Latvia, and Zambia, among others. “We knew this one Turkish song,” Wiggs said of a piece en- titled “Suda Balik Oynuyor,” that was very well received by all the individuals the group sang for. The group even received requests for an encore of the song after an impromptu performance at a res- taurant. “I don’t think, when we were learning it, werealized how big a success it would be,” Wiggs said. “To have a foreign group learn a song in their language really meant a lot to them.” Spice shared the student’s sen- timent and appreciated the warm reception that Turkey gave this group of W&L performers. “It just felt really good to be an American in Turkey,” Spice added. He admired the country’s outstanding music venues, large enthusiastic audiences, not to mention the particular “delights of Turkish cuisine.” The Chamber Singers is an en- semble of W&L upperclassmen that must audition for the group ’s select spots and frequently partic- ipate in University Chorus during their freshman year. Spice described the group as one that performs a different kind of repertoire, often blending chal- lenging pieces from a variety of eras. The group spent the week touring several major cities in Turkey, ultimately winding up in Istanbul for a performance at the city’s Caddebostan Cultural Cen- ter, a professional music hall that seats 775. “The city has so much to offer in terms of history and culture,” senior Nikki Conkling said of Is- tanbul. Turkey’s ‘culturally rich city has earned it recognition from the European Union as the European Capital of Culture for 2010. i This trip marked Conkling’s second trip abroad with the Chamber Singers. During her sophomore year, she traveled with the group to South America, performing at various locales in Uruguay and Argentina. Conk- ling, who graduates this June, has fond memories from her intema- tional experiences at W&L. “[The school] has given me the opportunity to go places I wouldn’t really think of visiting,” she said. In addition to the concert tours, Conkling also spent the Spring Term of her junior year studying and producing art for six weeks in Italy. Conkling said that one of the most rewarding things about her experience this year in Turkey was the cultural exchange that took place between her fellow Americans and the many citizens and students of T urkey. She even came away with Chamber Singers light up the stage with concerts and T V appearance in Turkey Not content wlth slm ly slnglng In concert halls, the cholr earned rave revlews or Its appearance on Turkey’s verslon of “Good Mornlng AmerIca.” PHOTO COURTESY OF C.J. JOSEPH—GUEVARA a few new Turkish Facebook fl'iends. Spice’s last tour with the Chamber Singers ended with a moonlit performance on the roof- top of a restaurant overlooking the Bosporus, the strait that forms the boundary between Turkey’s Asian and European regions. “It was just a great closing moment to this particular tour, and for me, for a part of my life,” Spice said. Spice said that while the Chamber Singers will look ahead to other trips in the future, he will look back on his years as conduc- tor with an appreciation for be- ing able to lead a group of young people as representatives of the university, as well as the entire United States. Despite the bittersweet tone of this particular tour, Spice was all smiles. Fun with pharoahs On-ship entertainment gets new meaning as hand sails up the Nile Though the W&L Wind Ensemble dld spend some tlme actually playlng their Instruments, group members also took time to vlslt the pyramlds. PHOTO COURTESTY OF ERIKA ROST By Celeste Cruz-Carandang STAFF WRITER The members of the Washington and Lee University Wind Ensemble spent their spring break in Egypt, earning the title of Musical Ambassadors. Indeed, spending time in the surreal setting allowed these students to see the world from a differ- ent perspective. A musician who toured in Egypt, Hannah Muther said, “I really appreciated the opportunity to visit a less popular American tourist country and to share the talents of the W&L Wind En- semble with people from a very different cultural background.” They observed how music unites peo- ple. Each culture has a unique way to ap- preciate all forms of art. The similarities assured the Wind Ensemble that their tal- ent did not go wasted. Muther observed, “Playing our last concert at a park in Cairo showed the group how music can bring people together, as cliche’ as that may sound. Everyone seemed joyful to hear us, especially the children, and even though we couldn’t communicate very well, many of the audience members came up to us af- terwards and said thanks and even tried to practice their English.” Yet music was not the only thing on their minds. Obviously, their eyes could not help but wander off the music and onto the spectacular sights. While visiting the Nile and the ancient pyramids, these musicians discovered a gem quite hidden to members of the Western culture and the privileged microcosm of our school. Clark Simcoe, a freshman who went on the trip, commented, “To finally see the sights of Egypt in person and not through a television screen or textbook gave me a unique feeling of awe and amazement.” Fowler Martens, another freshman member of the Ensemble, echoes Sim- coe’s sentiments: “It’s one of those things that, no matter how many times you see the temples and pyramids in pictures, they still take your breath away when you see them!” Thus, it seems that Wind Ensemble did not only enrich the culture, but learned from it as well. In between concerts, the students were able to tour these marvelous attractions. “My favorite part of the trip was our three day cruise down the Nile. And my most memorable experience was getting lost in an Egyptian bazaar”, shares Simcoe. Closer to land, the Wind Ensemble toured several of the remnants of ancient culture. Muther admitted, “Seeing the ancient won- ders like the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings and riding a camel were all un- forgettable experiences, and I was amazed by the [number] of temples remaining from over two—thousand years ago.” Martens also commented on the sur- prisingly well-preserved sights: “It’s so overwhelming to realize how sophisticated the architecture must be to have survived this long.” By traveling to such an exotic loca- tion, the members of the University Wind Ensemble began to lend thought to study- ing abroad. Some felt that they could learn more outside of the Western culture. Muther revealed her own opinions regard- ing the international learning programs in saying, “Visiting Egypt opened my eyes to the merits of studying abroad in countries outside of Europe, although I was sur- prised by how accessible the country was for tourists.” While the students were denied the pleasures of Destin, the luxury of Europe or even the familiarity of home, they were rewarded with a once in a lifetime oppor- tunity. They saw this tour as a gift and as a chance to explore a world only known in movies and books. Simcoe said it best: “The only down- side of the trip was the amount of flying, but even with that, I can say without res- ervation I am glad I went. I could not have wished for anything more out of the my first spring break at W&L.” Let's Make Up Leacingtows very own . cosmetic ano skincare iiontiqne featuring: Bare Minerals The Balm Sugar Cosmetics Dr. Hauschka MD Formulations Dr. N. V. Perricone 3 West Nelson Street Lexington 540 464 3900 Open: Monbay - Satnrbay Q geeéq e Peetruozcznt PEDAL CAR DINER & TIN Tor CAFE Order from our complete menu Or Join usfor one ofour ALL YOU CAN IZA TBuf]‘ets.' Friday Night Seafood Buffet with Crab Legs 5pm-10pm Saturday Night Prime Rib Dinner 5pm~10pm _ Sunday Baked Chicxen, Pork Loin, & Pot Roast ‘Mam-9pm Friday & Saturday Late Night Breakfast Bar 10pm-2am Breakfast Bar 7 Days a Week Sam-11am Daily Hot Country Bar Ham-1 Opm Daiiy Soup, Salad, & Fruit Bar 11am-10pm Order Breakfast 24 lrlours a day, 7 days a week! Home Cooked M'eaIs & Southern H0spitality.~’ l..oc-ated at Elllmmfflfl L81 & M34, Exit 195, 2516 North Lee I-lwy., .l,exiugtoii. VA 540-463-3478 Great food 3: a great collection of Antique Pedal Cars Jr Tin Toys! U OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080501/WLURG39_RTP_20080501_005.2.txt THURSD’AY, MAY 1,2008 THE RING-TUM PHI 0 5 sports MICHAEL KEENAN / Sports Editor Record days Team breaks 8 team and meet marks at ODAC championship By Kevln Corn smrr wrmen Washington and Lee’s track and field teams kept quite busy over Spring Break with ODACs on the last weekend of the break. The men’s team finished 3"‘ of six teams, while the women cap- tured 2”“ out of six teams. The Gener- als set five school records, three cham- pionship meet records, and had four ODAC champions. The teams captured twelve All-ODAC citations with junior Stacy Doornbos being awarded Track and Field Athlete of the Year, junior Elizabeth Webb being named Scholar- Athlete of the Year, and Head Coach Nate Hoey being named Coach of the Year for the Women’s team. The women were led to their great finish with help from Doombos who won the high jump with a leap of 5’3”, finishing second in both the long jump with a distance of 17’1l.75” and sec- ond in the 100 meters hurdles with a time of 15.75, and taking third in the 400 meters race with a time of 59.30. “1 was really happy with how the ODAC meet went,” commented Door- nbos. “I was chosen as Athlete of the Meet for the ODAC which was a huge honor and was very exciting.” Junior Becca Taylor set a school record in the steeple chase after cross- ing the finish line in a time of 11:59, good for second, and then proceeded to take third in the l500meters with a time of 4:53.49. Junior Grace An- drews placed in three events including third in shot put with a throw of 10.79 and a fifth place finish in the hammer throw where her toss of 33.02 set a new school record. Sophomores Kat Telfeyan and Dor- othy Todd all had strong finishes in the top five of their events, while junior Alysen Kuck took third in the javelin after a throw of 33.92 meters. Junior Stephanie Stelter took third in the 400 hurdles with a time of 67.17, while sophomore Sallie Armstrong finished fourth in the same event with a time of 68.36. Sophomore Maggie Sutherland took second in the high jump with a height of 1.57‘and third in 100 hurdles with a time of 15.95. Lastly, Webb captured the gold in both the 1500 meters with a time of 4:44.90 and in the 800 with a time 2:18.15. Junior Jess Shaw was first to cross the finish line in the 5K with a time of 17.29, setting a school record, a the 5K with a time of 15:33.54. Jackson commented, “Coming in third in the steeplechase was a great way to cap the season.” He continued, “Being able to make a difference in the newest event in the conference was huge when it came down to how the team did as a whole.” Sophomore Billy Billington threw 13.87 in the shot put for second place. In the discuss throw, Billington threw a 41.33 - good enough for second, and took third in the hammer throw with a distance of 47.68 which also set a school record in the event. Senior Mi- chael Keenan finished second in the javelin after throwing a distance of 51.87, setting a new school record. Todd offered a comment on the team’s overall success at ODACs, say- ing, “Our ODAC meet was a wonder- ful way to wrap up a great season. We have been working toward the ODAC meet all season.” She continued, “All of the girls on the team stepped it up and really rose to the occasion. We had so many PR performances at the ODAC meet! I think we surprised everyone with how close we were to Roanoke!” Sophomore Brian Bondurant agreed, “The team’s performance was exactly what we had hoped for and I was very excited for us to escape with the 3rd place overall position as a team, beating Roanoke by just a few points.” Andrews commented, “I was so proud of both the teams. It was great to do so well overall, as a team. The best part of the team this year was the new additions. The new blood was refresh- ing; they all greatly added to the team, both athletically and personally.” Last Saturday, Shaw, Webb, and Berry all ran in Hillsdale, Michigan. Berry ran the 5000 meters in a ‘time of 15.42, while Webb ran a personal best time of 17:48.41 in the 5000 me- ters, which placed her 20"‘ overall in the event. Shaw ran the same event and crossed the finish line with a new school record and National Qualify- ing time of 17:15.57. This time makes Shaw the sixth fastest in the nation for DIII. “It was an insane experience,” re- ported Shaw. “I have never competed in a more exciting race. Running un- der the lights was exhilarating, and my adrenaline was full force the entire time.” Webb added, “I’m pleased with my Junior Stacy Doornbos takes off in the high jump during the ODAC Outdoor Track and Field Champion- championship record, and hertime Was race as well. I went out way too fast, ships, held April 18-19. Doornbos won the high jump, placed second in the long Jump and the 100m a NCAA qualifying cut. hut Shh held on for a 7 Second PR. hurdles, third and the 400m dash, and sixth In the triple jump and was named ODAC Women's Track & On the men’s side, junior Alex Jack- Racing against Such an ehre group of Field Athlete of The Year- son took third in the 3000 meter steeple runners was an incredible experience chase with a time of 10:22.08, while and 1 hope that 1 will have the 0r,n0rtu_ junior Vance Berry captured second in rnry to do it again soon)’ Golf shoots for NCAAs James captures individual title; team wins ODAC championship for first time since 1999 andfirst trip to NCAAS since 1991 By Michael Keenan SPORTS EDITOR The Washington and Lee University men’s golf team claimed its first ODAC Championship of the twenty-first cen- tury and its eleventh all-time at the league championship held April 19-21 at the Pop- lar Grove Golf Club in Amherst, Va. The Generals jumped out to a lead on day one and never looked back en route to the title and automatic birth to the NCAA touma- ment. Senior Nathaniel James led the way for the Generals, finishing as the individual medalist. Coming into the tournament, the Gen- erals were seeded second with an average of 302.4, 2.6 shots behind tvvelfth-ranked Guildford, and 2 shots ahead of third seed Hampden-Sydney. James’s 72.2 stroke per average was the best in the conference, more than two shots ahead of Bridewater’s Colton Ray and Guilford’s Peter Latimore. The Generals were the dominant team from day one. On opening day, the Generals shot a 302 to open an eight shot lead over second place Hampden-Sydney. Guilford sat in fourth after shooting 321 in the open- ing round; James and teammate sophomore Matt Langan led the way, shooting rounds of 75, which put them in a three-way tie for second with Hampden-Sydney’s Bob Boykin, just three strokes back of Ran- dolph-Macon’s Ralston King. Sophomores Brad Watts and Joe Gibson each shot a 76 and freshman Tim Gavrich finished with a 79. W&L continued its superb play in the second round, firing a 294 to extend its lead. Pre-toumament favorite Guilford found its groove, shooting a 303 to move into second place, but still remained 28 shots behind the Generals with only one round to play. James again led the way with a tournament low round of 70 to take the individual lead by one stroke over King. Watts shot a 72 to move into third place and Langan’s 76 moved him into a tie for fifth. Gibson was just one stroke behind Langan after shoot- ing a second round of 76. Though day three was plagued with poor conditions, the Generals held of a strong charge by Guilford to win the tournament by ten strokes. The Generals shot a round of 313, which brought their three day total to 909. Guildford’s 295 closed the gap by eighteen strokes but was not enough for the Quakers to defend their title. Hampden- Sydney finished in third with 929 strokes. Watt’s final round score of 76 led the way for the Generals and moved him into a tie for second place overall. James shot a 77 to finish with a toumament-best score of 222, just six shots over par. The Generals returned home with nu- merous pieces of hardware in addition to the championship trophy. In addition to being the individual medalists, James was named ODAC Golfer of the Year and the ODAC/F arm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Watts joined James on the all-touma- ment team by finishing in a tie for second. Gibson received all-ODAC honorable men- tion and Coach Gavin Colliton was named the ODAC Coach of the Year. The Generals will return to action at the 2008 NCAA Division III Championship held at the Chateau Elan Resort in Brasel- ton, Ga., on May 13-16. This is their first team trip to the NCAA tournament since 1991. Moumrsxmre MAMA A Unérzuasx Fuji Se‘rvl<:.a Caterer _ . .».8ai3e8ma:-atnns eeraarata Ex/fen Pam. lnnaennaennanami :F|NE LINGERIE 21 W. Nelson Street Lexington 540 463 6963 Open: Monday — Saturday OCR::/Vol_111/WLURG39_RTP_20080501/WLURG39_RTP_20080501_006.2.txt THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2008 sports THE RING-TUM PHI ° 6 o deck Mon TuEs WED THURS Fm SAT Finished Baseball 3,350,. Men's vs. Tennis M°°°""' 11:00 am. NCAA w.|.'::'°""" Tourney NCAA 1 '.'::.".'::.: vs. Va. Mon.‘ Wes. Lacrosse 7:00 P'm' at Track Liberty Twilight 4:00 p.ml numbers 17:15.57 in a row for lax 7 MICHAEL KEENAN / Sports Editor Senior goalkeeper Sarah Tilbor makes a save during the ODAC women’s lacrosse final. The Generals de- fense, led by Tllbor and senior Kat Michaels (18), held the Maroons to just one goal in the first half, giving the team an 8-1 halftime lead. Tilbor finished the game with 13 saves and just four goals allowed. Staunch defense, offensive burst propel women Junior Jessica Shaw's school record and national qualifying time in the 5,000m run at the 43rd Annual Hillsdale Gina Relays. Shaw's time is currently the sixth fastest in the country. 33 individual points scored byjunior Stacy Doornbos at the ODAC Track ever, the Generals came back as senior at- tacker Christine Bender found the back of the net to leave the half time score at 8-1 in favor-.of the Generals. The second half started as did the first, with a W&L score. Sophomore attacker Britten Mathews scored at 24:31 to put the lead at to 9-1. Roanoke came back with their first run of the game. They scored the next two goals to move the score to 9-3. W&L again closed strong by scoring 4 of the final 5 goals to secure their 10"‘ ODAC championship. W&L had some key individual perfor- mances in the championship win. They were paced by Emily Mathews, who scored four goals. Christine Bender add- ed two goals and an assist. Junior attacker Katie Flippen scored two goals. Kelsi Robinson added another goal with two assists. Senior Sarah Tilbor played the en- tire game in goal, recording 13 saves. W&L will find out its first opponent By Russ Weems surr wnmzn The women’s lacrosse team played in the ODAC championship this week. The Generals came into the contest having won the last five ODAC titles. The Gen- erals are undefeated in the conference this year. W&L beat its opponent Roanoke handily earlier in the season. The Gen- erals were also the first seed in the tour- nament and currently ranked sixth place in the country. The Generals would have to overcome the pressure of being the fa- vorite to capture their sixth straight title. With the win, the Generals would receive an automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Tour- nament and set a new program record for wins in a season. The Generals started the game looking like champions. W&L opened the first half with seven unanswered goals, includ- ing three from freshman midfielder Emily Mathews. This initial barrage left Roa- and Field Championships en route to being named Athlete of the Year. 24-0 ‘ The record of the Washington and Lee women’s tennis team, who nisthemosteverf "r¢§f_a¥I;i-.. "fife: previous at e......... wiiiir,be;.1nakl-ll n .he’§risixth,istralght‘ enter the NCAA tournament with an undefeated record after winning their sixth consecutive ODAC title. 13 Consecutive victories by the Washington and Lee men’s tennis team, currently ranked 16th in the country. The team recently claimed its _ 13th consecutive ODAC title and will advance to the NCAA tourna- a’3i15§§i.}tlli¢rt0ilfltW0f by in-intry:eFrankIin' ment. 222 Three—round total for senior Nathaniel James, who won the individual i ODAC title and led the Generals to their first ODAC Championship since 1999. The team will compete in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1991. 7 Unanswered goals by the Washington and Lee women's lacrosse team to start the ODAC Championship against Roanoke. The Generals cruised to a 13-4 to take their sixth consecutive ODAC title and will ad- vance to the national tournament. 12 Number of players who scored for the 19th-ranked Washington and Lee men's lacrosse team in their final regular season game against Guilford. The Generals will take on Virginia Wesleyan in the ODAC semi-finals. 12 Individual points scored by sophomore Billy Billington at the ODAC Track and Field Championships. Billington was second in the shot put and discus and third in the hammer, in which he reset he own school record. noke with a giant hill to climb to get back into striking distance. Roanoke finally tallied with 8:06 left in the half. How- By Kevin Corn surr warren Washington and Lee’s Women’s Ten- nis Team has been quite busy the last few weeks including the ODAC Tournament and a very important match against Emory University in Atlanta. However, despite this busy and competitive schedule, the Generals showed no fatigue. They remain undefeated and number one in the country, thus favored to win another NCAA title. At Emory, the girls had a real battle with the meet coming down to the last match between junior Meg Splaitta and Emory’s Sara Vrabec. Fortunately, Spalitta took the match in two sets, 6-2, 7-6, with a 7-2 vic- tory in the tie-breaker. Junior Katie Tabb led the team with a victory against Emory’s Tshema Nash in two sets: 6-2, 7-5. She also teamed up with sophomore Lauren Caire for an 8-4 victory in their doubles match. Splaitta’s victory tipped the meet in fa- vor of W&L, 5-4. Kelly Will, who defeated Emory’s Sa- bra Rogers, explained what the team’s vic- tory meant, “Beating a good team always feels good and our wins over Williams and Emory show that we are definitely in that top 4 group. 5-4 is not a big margin and it also shows how close all the top teams are. We have a lot of close matches ahead.” She added, “It gives us a sense of what we’ll for the 2008 NCAA Tournament on Sun., May 4. face and what we need to work on.” Overall, Tabb commented, “The Emory win was a big boost not only for us as a team, but also for a lot of us as individu- als. I think the wins gave us confidence be- cause we had to fight for each of our wins, and we ended up pulling out a lot of tough matches.” She continued, “That kind of win gives you a different mentality going into your next match because it makes you feel like anything is possible if you want it Mai baflrraind rem‘. Tennis still unbeaten Women take perfect record to NCAA championship Tabb explained that though the win may appear to fans as a walk in the park, acute concentration is needed to pull off a deci- sive win. “ODACS, even though they aren’t.the best competition we face all year, are still a good way for us to’ compete and make sure that we’re ready for the upcoming NCAA tournament,” said Tabb. “Despite what people may think, it actually takes a lot of focus to win an ODAC match 6-0, “The Emory win was a big boost not only for us as a team, but also for a lot of us as individuals. I think the wins gave us confidence because we had to fight for each of our wins, and we ended up pulling out a lot of tough matches. ” - Junior Katie Tabb bad enough.” The Generals more recently completed ODACS without losing a game throughout the entire tournament. The ladies took down Guilford 7-0 in the quarterfinals without losing a set, then Virginia Wesleyan 5-0, again without dropping a set. In the finals, the Generals took a 9-0 win over Bridge- water without dropping one set. In most of the matches, the ladies lost no more than one or two games. 6-0, so it’s nice preparation for the focus we’ll need to have at nationals.” Will agreed, saying, “Playing ODACS is a mental game because you can’t get distracted or think you’re going to auto- matically win. Our history of winning can make it seem like it should be easy, but the quality of players in ODACS increases ev- ery year and you have to be mentally in the match to win.”