Alyssa Wilson ~ Assistant News Editor

Author of The 1619 Project, Nikole Hannah-Jones visited the University of Lynchburg as the Rosel Schewel Lecture award winner nearly a year ago, and while much has changed since her visit many things are still the same. 

Hannah-Jones’ 1619 Project, has upended conversations on race and racism nationally. It was recently developed into a docuseries put out by Hulu refreshing many minds on the importance of the project which was originally developed as a New York Times Magazine, then a book, and  a podcast. 

Topics like those broached in the docuseries are still relevant today, while some people have proven to be sensitive to those topics others welcome them with open arms – unafraid of uncomfortable conversations. 

Hannah-Jones’ project begs the question of how educators can create an environment within their classrooms that cultivates open and honest discussions around topics like racism and how it touches so many parts of American life. 

The importance of teaching multiculturalism and being real with students is Hannah-Jones’ answer to this question. 

“So it’s the obligation of professors, to teach them about the world that they will actually go in, because you can’t help what community you were born into, you can’t help if you went to schools that weren’t diverse, or you live in a community that’s not diverse,” said Hannah-Jones. 

The University of Lynchburg is a predominantly white institution, attended by students who, for the majority, have grown up in predominantly white areas and attended mostly white K-12 schools. 

For the second year in a row, the University of Lynchburg’s sorority Zeta Nu chapter of Kappa Delta will be hosting their annual golf tournament at Poplar Forest Golf Course on March 26th. 

This tournament is a very important to the sorority’s philanthropy, Prevent Child Abuse America as all of the proceeds will be going to supporting the organization. 

Kappa Delta’s Vice President of Events and Programing, Lauren Mills said, “Our golf tournament is the last day of our shamrock week. Shamrock week is a long-standing nationwide Kappa Delta event to fundraise for PCAA. Last year, Jenna Marshall hosted an amazing golf tournament, and I wanted to continue that!”

Izzie Kirkwood ~ Intern

On the third floor of Schewel Hall at the University of Lynchburg, sits a student’s dream closet.

The ‘Suit Yourself’ closet is a project dedicated to helping provide students with formal wear for interviews, ceremonies and many other events. 

Dr. James Roux, professor of Communication Studies, started this project to help the students in his Business and Professional Communication class when they did not have attire for their required mock interviews. 

“Over the years, increasingly, my students did not have appropriate interview clothing,” he explained. 

The demand soon grew beyond just the students enrolled in business classes. 

“After talking more, I realized that more people did not have etiquette clothing. It just grew the need for it,” Roux said. 

Allison Schroeder, senior administrative assistant for the Lynchburg College of Arts and Sciences, helps Roux in the upkeep and advertising of the closet. 

Ali Morrison ~ Assistant News Editor

A self defense course opened up for faculty, students and staff last Wednesday, led by Ricky Reiss and Jamie Smith. This course was started in response to some of the recent security concerns both on and off campus. 

The course was designed to educate participants on how to defend themselves from oncoming attacks,provide information on relevant issues like how to tell a bartender that you need help or how to seek assistance from Campus Security. 

Alyssa Wilson ~ Assisant News Editor

Volunteerism is at the center of the  University of Lynchburg’s Center for Community Engagement.

This past weekend, students volunteered and participated in The Coldest Night of the Year, a fundraiser for local nonprofit organization, Miriam’s House. 

Miriam’s House is an organization that helps to house homeless women and their children in an effort to eradicate homelessness in the Greater Lynchburg area and beyond. 

The Coldest Night of the Year is an annual 2K walk event up and down Rivermont Avenue.

The Bonner Leader Program volunteered at the event as cheerleaders for the walkers, holding up signs of encouragement, blowing bubbles and giving out high fives. 

Ali Morrison ~ Assistant News Editor

The University of Lynchburg celebrated Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten season celebrated by many christian religions, with an ‘Ashes on the Go’ service.

The receiving of ashes kicks off Lent, the season leading up to Easter, and symbolizes becoming anew, signaling the hope that is about to come. Ash Wednesday is commemorated through a church service, which can sometimes be hard for people to attend.

This includes students and staff who tend to be busy this time of year, making the receiving of ashes more difficult. 

‘Ashes on the Go’, created about two years ago, to allow the campus community an opportunity to commune.

Ali Morrison ~ Assistant News Editor

Mold has been an issue amongst residential students at the University of Lynchburg for some time, causing health concerns for some students. 

While Maintenance and the Housing and Residence Life Department are fighting to get this taken care of, the mold’s existence is still there. 

Courtney Kelsey, Director of Housing and Residence Life says there have been eight work orders filed this school year, some of which were actually dust mistaken as mold. 

“At this time, all rooms and residences that have been brought to the attention of our office have been addressed,” Kelsey said. Even though they are categorized as already being dealt with, this is not necessarily the case for many of the houses and apartments here on campus. 

Junior, Lilly Fraley is one of those that has mold concerns within her residence. “It’s been such an issue for our house. We put in a work order and for the past two and a half weeks nothing has been done,” said Fraley.