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Climate activists flood College Park, joining worldwide movement

Climate activists in over 150 countries left work, school and business as usual to join last Friday’s Global Climate Strike.  The first event in a planned week of worldwide climate activism, the Global Climate Strike arrived in Middlebury as hundreds of students, professors and town residents gathered at College Park to protest government apathy toward climate change. College students walked out of class at around 9:45 a.m. to attend the rally, joining students of all ages from the Addison Central School District as well as educators and community members. Student organizations Divest Middlebury, Sunrise Middlebury, and Middlebury Sunday Night Environmental Group planned the strike in collaboration with Extinction Rebellion Vermont, a local climate activism group. Organizers Cora Kircher ’20, Zoe Grodsky ’20.5, Connor Wertz ’22 and Divya Gudur ’21 had been coordinating the event since July. Attendees gradually collected around the speakers’ platform, and when most had arrived, strikers kicked off the event by chanting, “We are unstoppable. Another world is possible.” “In my three years doing the climate strike, this is maybe the largest turnout we’ve had,” Grodsky told The Campus. Some protestors held handmade signs that displayed phrases like: “Denial is not a policy,” “Go Greta [Thunberg!]” and “There is no Planet B.” College students hoisted a banner that stated “Strike 4 Climate.” The excited chattering and passionate dialogues about climate change subsided as a series of inspired speeches began. Families, friends and strangers alike stood side-by-side and listened intently.  Kircher spoke first, concentrating on the necessary coordination of the climate justice movement with “decolonization, racial justice and indigenous resistance.” As Middlebury is situated on what she referred to as “stolen land,” Kircher included a moment of silence in solidarity with the Abenaki — a native people of Vermont. “We are here to demand an end to the age of fossil fuels, and we are here to demand something better,” Kircher said. “We’re striking because we believe that another world is possible, and we’re striking because that world is only as close as we make it and only as far away as we allow it to be.” Grodsky spoke next, focusing on the uprising against oppressive institutions and the impossibility of true climate justice in a society where migrant, racial, and economic injustice are systemic and institutionalized. “The climate change and the systems we talk about have material consequences on people’s lives—not in some far-off future, not in some far-off place, but right here, right now,” Grodsky said. “We must acknowledge that the disproportionate harm of climate change is falling right now on the most marginalized populations.” During her speech, Grodsky also asked the crowd to join in remembrance of Juan de León Gutierrez, a 16-year-old Guatemalan migrant who, while fleeing the repercussions of climate change, was one of six children since September 2018 to die in United States custody. Professor of Sociology and author of “Global Unions, Local Power” Jamie McCallum spoke after Grodsky, highlighting the power of protest to teach and to “win a better world.” “There’s nothing I can think of that’s more ‘liberal arts’ than professors and students and community members being hauled off to jail together after such an action [as blockading the ICE Facility, or other acts of civil disobedience],” McCallum said at the rally. McCallum also emphasized the ongoing alignment of the labor movement with the climate justice movement. He cited the United Auto Workers as an example of recent protest: On Sept. 20, they held a strike of 50,000 people against General Motors — a global corporation. “We’re at a point where it’s pretty obvious that the climate crisis is an economic crisis, as well, and the people that have the power to transform an economic crisis, for the most part, are workers. Whether or not you work in an extractive industry, the climate crisis is beginning to affect all of us,” McCallum told The Campus. “There are all these ways in which these movements are cross-pollinating, and that is the holy grail of social change.” Vivian Ross, a first-year at Middlebury Union High School, spoke fourth at the rally. She emphasized the onus on all community members — despite age, past activism (or lack thereof), or other obligations — to somehow actively engage in combating climate change.  “Walking out of school, leaving work, organizing a rally … These are actions that build and build into a barrier so high that the politicians and corporations can no longer scale it with their money and blatant lies,” Ross said. “As one human race, we are capable of making all the right decisions before the Earth as we know it dives off the cliff that it’s barreling toward. We are all perfectly capable of digging in our heels and refusing to let the worst of us get the better of us.” Environmental Studies Professor Rebecca Gould then taught the crowd a Hebrew song called “My Strength,” traditionally sung in peaceful protests — at “racial justice marches in D.C., in front of ICE facilities, after the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre, and in Jerusalem with women fighting for the right to pray at the Western Wall.” “What music has done in social justice movements for hundreds of years, across cultures, is help us tap into the hope when we feel so much anger — not just righteous anger at the corporations but anger that gets in the way,” Gould said.

Sports Recap

Cross country By JORDAN HOWELL The Middlebury cross country team competed in the Bates Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 14. The women finished in third place, while the men captured fourth place. “The men's and women's cross country teams are excited now that the season is underway!” Talia Ruxin ’20 said. “It was awesome to lace up with the first-years this weekend, and we are feeling lots of positive energy.” On the women’s side, Ruxin was able to capture seventh place with a time of 18:44.5, while Cassie Kearney ’22 came in 10th place with a time of 19:07.8. For the men, Quinlan McGaugh ’22 came in 10th place with a time of 26:34.4, while a time of 26:44.0 propelled Jack Litowitz ’20 to a 13th place finish. “The Bates Invitational was a fun race and a great opportunity to run against some strong NESCAC competition early in the season,” McCaugh said. Regarding the upcoming Aldrich Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 21, Litowitz was optimistic. “A combination of the experience fresh off of a meet this past weekend, spiking up and running on our home course should allow the team to improve this week over last, and carry the positive momentum forward onto the bigger meets where it counts," he said. Football By LAUREN BOYD The Panther football team kicked off their season with a 17–13 win against the Williams Ephs on Saturday, Sept. 14, scoring the game-winning touchdown with less than a minute on the clock.  The start of the second quarter opened up the scoring game. Carter Massengill ’20 put the first points of the game on the board, scoring a field goal from 25 yards out. Later in the second quarter, the Panthers scored an 18–yard touchdown, gaining a 10–0 lead. The rest of the second quarter, however, was commanded by the Williams offense. Between the second and third quarters, the Ephs scored 13 unanswered points. With just one minute and 30 seconds left in the game, the Panthers marched down the field behind Jernigan. A series of short passes and 10-yard gains led the Panthers to the 2-yard line, where Jernigan punched in the game-winning touchdown. Massengill tapped in the extra point, making the final score 17–13. Men’s golf By JACK KAGAN The men’s golf team finished at the podium for this past weekend’s Duke Nelson Invitational. The Invitational took place at Middlebury’s Ralph Myhre Golf Course and featured 23 teams from around the region. After a strong start atop the standings at the end of day one, the Panthers finished the tournament in third place, just one stroke behind Williams.  Jordan Bessalel ’21 and co-captain Jeffrey Giguere ’20 shined on day one, coming in at sixth and third place respectively. Giguere finished out day two in first place by one stroke ahead of Williams’ Will Kannegieser. Giguere earned a combined score of 142. Neither Bessalel nor Giguere’s heroics were quite enough to lift the Panthers into second place as a team.  New York University finished first.  After a strong showing, the Panthers will have little time to rest before heading down to their rivals’ turf in Williamstown for the Williams Fall Invitational.    Women’s golf By MICHAEL SEGEL The Panthers outdid last year’s performance at the St. Lawrence Invitational, this year coming in second place out of nine teams. On Sept. 7–8, five players from the women’s golf team came together to accomplish this feat. Their impressive performance can largely be attributed to the work of Blake Yaccino ’20, who finished third overall out of 47 participants. Classmate Chloe Levins ’20 wasn’t far behind, finishing in a tie for seventh overall.                  Coming off the strong showing at the St. Lawrence Invitational, the women then competed in the Ann S. Batchelder Invitational on Sept. 14–15. They came in third overall behind Williams College and Wellesley College. Katie Murphy ’23 finished tied for second overall out of 42 golfers, shooting a two-over par 146 (74–72). Yaccino finished tied for fifth at 154 (76–78), while Levins finished tied for 18th with a 164 (84–80). Elizabeth Kenter ’23 finished tied for 27th, shooting a 169 (85–84), and Kayla Li ’23 finished in 29th with a 170 (85–85). The Panthers will be swinging back in action next week at the Mount Holyoke Invitational. Men’s tennis By JACK KAGAN The men’s tennis team fell just short of divisional titles in four of four singles brackets this past weekend at the Middlebury Invitational on the Proctor Tennis Courts.  Though the squad is currently beginning a rebuilding process after losing its top two players to graduation, a bright future might not be so far away. The top singles flight saw unseeded Stan Morris ’22 blaze through to the finals, taking out the No. 3 and No. 2 seeds in the process.  Robby Ward ’23 also made a run to the finals in the B singles draw, knocking off No. 1 seed Brandeis sophomore Jeff Chen. David Vilys ’22 and Zach Hilty ’22 also made it to the finals in their respective C and D singles draws, and will look to use the momentum to propel themselves into a consistent starting role come spring time.  Surprisingly, the two doubles draws were devoid of Middlebury teams past the quarterfinals, likely owing to sets of entirely new doubles pairings.  The tournament featured teams such as Tufts University and Brandeis College, with whom the Panthers will have to contend if they want to stay at the top of DIII tennis.  Men’s soccer By ERIK ARVIDSSON After starting the NESCAC season with a scoreless double overtime tie, the Panthers traveled last weekend to Brunswick, Maine to take on the Bowdoin Polar Bears. For the second week in a row, the Panthers struggled connecting with the back of the net. The team finished with six shots on goal compared to Bowdoin’s 15 and neither were able to score. The game ended at 0–0.  The man of the match was goalkeeper Ryan Grady ’23. Grady made six saves to complete his second shutout of the year. The Panthers remain positive despite not scoring in two consecutive games.  “We have been doing all the right things,” Jack Spiridellis ’21 said. “We just need to put the ball into the back of the net, then we will win games.”  Up next, the Panthers played their home opener against Mt. St. Mary of New York on Sept. 17 (which occured after this issue was sent to print). The Panthers will round out the week with a home double-header this weekend against Hamilton on Saturday and Castleton on Sunday, Sept. 22. Women’s tennis By DAN MIGUEL ESPINOSA The Middlebury women’s tennis team journeyed down Route 7 this past weekend for the Lindsay Morehouse Invitational at Williams College. The invitational followed a round-robin format in which the Panthers competed against three other teams in a full weekend of doubles and singles. No individual team was awarded champion.  On Friday, Sept. 13, three of four doubles pairs picked up victories against Skidmore. The following day, Middlebury swept RPI in three doubles matches, but only took two of three doubles matches against Williams. For singles, Middlebury swept RPI in all five contests.  Middlebury faced Skidmore again on Sunday for singles and won four of six matches. Against Williams, the Panthers won all three singles matches and won their only doubles contest.  The women will use this weekend to prepare for the ITA Regional Championships that kick off at home on Sept. 27. Women’s soccer By JENNY LANGERMAN Women’s soccer had another successful week, winning both of this week’s games to put them at five total wins and zero losses. The Panthers first faced SUNY Plattsburgh on the road. Despite solid play from their opponents, Middlebury was ultimately able to shut them out two-zip with goals from captain Jinx Charman ’20 and Leah Salzman ’21, and the help of strong defensive play.  Middlebury then hit the road once again to play the Bowdoin Polar Bears, having to put up a tougher fight in their second game of the week. The Bears got an early lead, scoring within the first eight minutes of play. The Panthers matched them with a goal from Salzman, but were unable to pull ahead until the very end. With just a minute and a half of game time left, captain Ellie Greenberg ’20 was able to hook one into the side of the net, securing the win. The Panthers now have a week to regroup and prepare before their next match against conference-opponent, Hamilton College, on their home turf this Saturday, Sept. 21. Volleyball By HEATHER BOEHM Middlebury Women’s Volleyball fell to an undefeated Clarkson on an unlucky Friday, Sept. 13, and split their weekend contests with a win over Potsdam and a loss to St. Lawrence on Saturday, Sept. 14.  In their first battle of the weekend against Clarkson, the Panthers came out expecting a war. Although they put some numbers on the board, they ultimately fell in straight sets to the 23rd-ranked team in the country. Gigi Alper ’20 led the Panther defense, picking up 13 digs for the night. Jane Nelson ’22 built on her teammates’ efforts and led the offense with six kills.  After a hard loss, Middlebury got back to work. The women triumphed over Potsdam with a decisive 3–0 victory. This time around it was Maggie Wise ’22, who took control of the Panther offense tallying 11 kills.  Although the Panthers were hungry for more, the women fell just short of a victory over St. Lawrence. Middlebury rolled through the first two sets before St. Lawrence stole the next two right back. Middlebury was then defeated by the Saints in the fifth set 15–12.  The Panthers will journey to Maine over the weekend, where they will compete against Colby on Friday, Sept. 20 and Bates on Saturday, Sept. 21. Field hockey By DAN MIGUEL ESPINOSA Field hockey fared successfully on their Sept. 14–15 road trip, defeating ninth-ranked Bowdoin College and 18th-ranked Babson College, 1–0 and 2–0, respectively. The Panthers had difficulty stirring up scoring opportunities during the first half against the Bowdoin Polar Bears. But they gained momentum in the third quarter, outshooting the Polar Bears 3–0. Finally, the Panthers scored 30 seconds into the fourth quarter. The 1–0 score remained until the end of the game.  Against Babson, Middlebury struck early twice in the first quarter. The Panthers struggled scoring for the remainder of the game, but still made some spectacular stops. Correction: A previous version of the cross country recap included outdated information and dates.

They came, they frisbeed, they conquered: Middlebury Pranksters take Nationals

Driven, unique and fun. Capping a spectacular season this spring with players across class years and ability levels, the Middlebury Pranksters ultimate frisbee team achieved impressive results at this year’s D-III College Championships, with the men’s team snatching the national championship title and the women’s team placing fifth. The teams faced tough competition on the way to the championship weekend, capping historic seasons. Both teams started their seasons at College Southerns down in Georgia over spring break. The men’s team went 6-1 in their games while the women won all six. “It was the first time testing our strength as a team and we took on top-ranked D-I teams like UNC-Wilmington’s SeaWeed and Carleton Eclipse,” co-captain Allegra Molkenthin ’19.5 said. In the post-season, the men won all of their regional matches, qualifying for the national tournament for the third time (they previously advanced in 2015 and 2018). The women’s team was on a winning streak throughout the first day of the regional championship, beating Brandeis and Wellesley 11-4 and 10-4 respectively, continuing to defeat Williams 10-8. Despite two losses to Williams and Bates on the final day of the regional tournament, the team finished third in the region and punched their ticket to the national tournament in hot and sunny Texas. The journey to Nationals had its share flight delays and cancellations, as the women’s team entered the tournament with nine of their players on the way from Orlando. Despite the lack of sleep, the team was ready to go. “The sleep deprivation and desire to play well for our teammates who had not arrived yet really helped us push through to take every point,” Molkenthin said. The women advanced to the second round with a 15-0 win against Mary Washington, with 9 of their 24-person roster having not yet arrived in Texas. Competing against 2018 D-III National Champions St. Olaf’s Vortex and still missing players, the team lost on universe point, or sudden death, 10-11. With the team now reunited, the Pranksters faced fourth-seed Puget Sound as the score creeped up one point at a time. In the end, the team came out on top in another university point with a final score of 9-8. After three games in one day, the team then won their pool and received a bye to the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinal round, the heat turned up and the competition did as well. The morning game consisted of a 13-14 universe point loss against North Park in 90-degree weather. Although the Pranksters were unable to obtain a place in the championship bracket, they scored a 13-8 win against Portland. With a fifth-place win in the national championship, the Pranksters achieved impressive results in their first national tournament since 2015. The men’s team’s road to the national title started with a 11-10 win against Franciscan, a 12-10 win against Hamilton and a 14-9 win against Michigan Tech. Seeded first going into the tournament, the Pranksters played defending champions Bryant in the quarterfinals. Despite a hard-fought second half in which Bryant tied Middlebury 6-6 in points scored, Middlebury’s 8-3 lead in the first half brought the team to a 15-9 victory. The semifinal round saw one of the mist exciting games of the tournament. After Kai DeLorenzo ’20.5 sat out through most of the first half due to a heel injury, his return in the second half brought the team to a close 12-11 win against Richmond. Assists by Kevin Strenski ’21 and Zach Levitt ’20 were key to the team punching a ticket to the championship. Air Force faced Middlebury in the championship game, having scored a 15-13 victory against Carleton College in the second semifinal. Trading holds all the way to halftime, Middlebury led the first half 7-6. Strenski became a star of the game with three goals in the second half. Tied at 12-12, the game would then be played to 14. Strenski received an inside flick and brought the Pranksters to a 13-12 lead. While Air Force received one more break, the team scored two more goals for a final score of 15-12. The team finished their season with a 31-3 record. Junior Van Lundsgaard caught the winning disc. “I didn’t really realize that I was going to score the game winning point,” he said. “I just wanted to make sure we didn’t turn it or lose our momentum.” Lundsgaard attributes his success to a loving community he finds in the team. “It was as much the team’s goal as it was mine,” he said. For captain Dylan Salzman ’19, the team’s championship win represents a special moment in the history of the program for both teams. “It speaks to the way in which Middlebury frisbee has shifted away from being just a social group to being real, well­ developed frisbee teams,” he said. “We won by sheer willpower, and winning the finals felt cathartic­­. It’s such a validation of everything that we had been working on, and such a testament to the team that we put together.”  Molkenthin enjoyed having both the men and women compete at the same tournament. “It’s very cool to feel like we are both incredibly talented teams and yet we do not take ourselves too seriously, and we value our friendship and sportsmanship immensely,” she said. “We support one another on and off the field whether it’s on the Middlebury men’s soccer turf where we occasionally practiced, at the Spring Symposium for academic presentations, or at the National Championship.” Despite the heat, for many members of the team, being at Nationals was an incredible experience. “The environment was electric – with incredible athletes from all around the country gathered together to celebrate excellence in a unique sport,” Molkenthin said. For both teams, a lack of institutional support from the college (as compared to other club teams) presents challenges. Since both the men’s and the women’s teams do not have coaches, captains serve in this role, running practices and organizing logistics for the team to travel to tournaments. For Molkenthin, she enjoys being in a position to lead this community on campus. “To be a captain of this team is to feel loved, to be honored with tough decision-making and last-minute logistical juggling, and to be supported by an incredible community that you know has your back the whole way,” she said. Salzman pointed to the dynamic of a “player-coach” where he has to assert authority over his peers. In addition, the inability for the team to reserve field space on campus or have access to athlete trainers present barriers to the team’s sustained success. “It means that we, as captains and players, have to battle for every inch of turf time we get in the winter, and struggle to deal with all of the administrational details that come with running a nationally competitive team,” he said. Capping off incredibly successful campaigns for both the men and women, the Pranksters feel optimistic for the future. For many players, ultimate frisbee has provided them with a supportive community and unique Middlebury experience. This year has provided them with new depth in the program, building up a new roster of players full of talent, commitment and potential. With various levels of experience and spread out across all class years, the captains strove this year to make the sport and community accessible to all. This year, the team has built on the traditions of previous years and has created a passionate and driven group. “This finish to our season is perhaps most exciting because it makes me think about the future and how much this team can do going forward,” Molkenthin said. “I will have graduated by the time next spring rolls around, but I will be waiting with anticipation to see what my Pranksters can do.”

An ode to orgs: new (and old) students, get involved!

Imagine: You are a prospective student wandering the campus late last Thursday afternoon. Having marveled at the sheer scale of the Ross complex, peeked in through the narrow windows of Atwater dining hall and pestered your parents into buying you your first white-and-navy Varsity sweatshirt (as well as, of course, one for your younger sibling), you arrive at Chapel quad.  What you find there leaves an impression more vivid than any admissions pamphlet ever could. There, long rows of tables extend out from McCullough Student Center, plastered with brightly-colored signs spelling out the names of different student organizations, covered in free candy. These tables stay in place for two hours, tittering in the mid-September wind as droves of socially-conscious freshmen straggle by. Every so often, one brave individual in Birkenstocks stops to talk to an upperclassman on the other side of the table, copying their email onto a sign-up sheet and snag a mini Snickers bar. Whatever you thought you knew about Middlebury College before, you will likely leave having made the following conclusion: To become a Middlebury student is to become involved.  As last Thursday’s Student Activities Fair illustrated, club culture is front and center at Middlebury. Back in high school, clubs were often fodder for our college applications, distilled to one-liners on our resumes or a singular talking point during an alumni interview. Here, they mean so much more. Let us explain. For the first time in a long time, first years are given a moment to pause and reconsider their previous commitments and future aspirations. A number of us on the editorial board reflected on the many motivations for joining clubs in high school — fleshing out your Common App, for instance, or acquiescing to overbearing parents who are eager to fulfill their vicarious varsity football fantasies.  One editor vividly characterized her own arrival at college as a kind of “self-shedding:” gone were any perceived obligations to play the violin (as, at that point, she had for some 12 years) or dance ballet. Instead, she was free to follow her own, more up-to-date instincts and interests. To that end, we encourage you, first-years, to reflect on your own passions, and let current curiosities guide your extracurricular exploration. Do not be dissuaded by self-doubt, or any perceived lack of experience. One editor remembers starting out at The Campus by writing a regular film column — without “any knowledge about anything related to film whatsoever.” (“It worked out, didn’t it?” she laughed. A true case of “fake it ’till you make it.”) Sophomores and juniors, conversations about joining clubs hold equal importance for you. Often, organizations form the crux of students’ social lives at Middlebury. One member of the editorial board, for instance, joined club tennis during her sophomore year. She said that, for her, “the importance of the actual tennis component was secondary.” She averred that the club could be about origami or roller-blading, but that at its core what was important to her was the continuity and security that comes from knowing a group of people for over two years. The social benefits of being involved assume even greater importance in light of recent on-campus conversations about mental health. In an op-ed published over the summer, Arthur Martins ’22.5 alluded to the unique potential for isolation on a secluded college campus like Middlebury, or the often devastating burden that comes from trying to “figure out how to make sense of our experiences alone.” As many students know, this isolation assumes physical as well as emotional forms. In a place which regularly demands hours and hours of solitary studying — be it in dimly-lit thesis carrels among the furthest reaches of the Davis Upper Mezzanine or couches hidden on the fifth floor of BiHall — Middlebury students spend unavoidable amounts of time alone with their thoughts and textbooks. Alternatively, participation in student orgs is an easy and effective way to engage with other people. For some, participating in an a capella group or improv troupe might be merely something different to do on a Tuesday night. But for others, when the sun begins to set around 4:15 p.m. and students find themselves sagging beneath an all-too-familiar February melancholy, an opportunity to leave the GIS lab and enter a vibrant room full of their peers forms nothing short of a lifeline. Many clubs, like Model UN and frisbee, even go so far as to eat dinner together. Aw!  Juniors abroad: ¡Escuchen! Vous pouvez rejoindre des clubs partout dans le monde. One member of the editorial board reflects that, had it not been for the “uniquely un-athletic” context of Oxford University, she would never have considered joining a women’s soccer team. Only among the “panting and pasty British” — her team’s goalkeeper, for instance, regularly smoked to relax while the opposing team took penalty shots — did she discover her own, somewhat athletic stride. Another editor identifies her choir as the “most valuable part” of her five months in Argentina.  And despite what you’ve heard, seniors, upperclassmen may even benefit the most from extracurricular activities. For instance, one board member talked about how various clubs helped him narrow down his career goals. We don’t have consulting or law classes, but we do have Middlebury Consulting Group and Middlebury Law. Take it from us: meeting late-night deadlines in The Campus office feels as real-life as it gets. The benefits of getting involved at Middlebury extend well beyond freshman year. Even at a basic level, extracurriculars give students a chance to excel outside of Twilight seminar rooms; at an institution that places so much stress on academic achievement, this can provide a crucial well of confidence and identity for many members of the community. If that doesn’t convince you, take it from the editor who pointed out that the stakes are “fairly freakin’ low”. If the walk to the ceramics studio turns out to be too long on a weeknight, or you stop attending Quidditch practices once it begins to get colder, do not fret. There will be another semester, and a fresh set of sign-up sheets to go with it. EDITOR'S NOTE: Photos courtesy of Shirley Mao and Benjy Renton for the Campus.

2019-2020 Print Issues

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It’s no fantasy — college football is back

  The Panther football team is in the midst of preparing for a successful 2019 campaign, looking to improve on last season’s 5–4 record. Last year, the Panthers had an impressive 5–4 run, but the team will look to increase their wins in the next few months by working faster and harder in the off season. In their first game of the season, the team will face the Williams Ephs — a longtime rival and huge competitor for the Panthers. In 2018, the squad took home the win, with a 21–10 victory on Williams turf. This year, the team will be looking to do the same, but this time on their home field. Nescac competition will also feature dominant Tufts and Trinity teams. Last year, the Panthers fell to both teams, but will look to prove their off-season hard work in the upcoming weeks. Starting at quarterback is junior Will Jernigan ’21, who saw some time on the field last year. Skilled in both the run and pass game, Jernigan is working to lead the Panther offense behind a stout offensive line, with senior wide receiver Max Bochman ’20 leading the routes. Captain offensive lineman Kevin Woodring ’19 will head the offensive line for Jernigan as the team takes on Williams this upcoming weekend. With two weeks of preseason under their belts, the players are well-prepared for the season. “The biggest thing we’ve been focusing on in preseason is doing the little things well. As a team we’re going to make mistakes, but if we can correct the smallest things, we will be a much better football team,” Woodring said, when asked about their preseason preparation. “My offensive line coach consistently says to us, if we, as a unit, get 1% better each day, over time that adds up and sooner or later we’ll be a very good football team.” “The little things come down to knowing your assignment, being in the right place and executing your assignment with good technique. This is what our head coach, Bob Ritter, preaches to us everyday at practice and is the reason we spend so much time watching film and walking through plays/formations just so we are mentally aware of what’s going on, so that come game time we can play fast and execute efficiently.” With an average of 137.2 rushing yards and 183.3 passing yards in the 2018 season (combined for a total of 320.6 yards), the 2019 squad will look to increase these numbers behind Jernigan, Bochman, Woodring and the Panther offense. The defense will also stand strong with seniors Wyllis McKissick ’20 at linebacker and Alex Norton ’19 on the defensive line, with a host of other Panthers filling in the field. In 2018, the Panthers accumulated 652 tackles and 11 sacks in their nine games, numbers these seniors hope to increase in their upcoming campaign. Max Rye ’21 and Carter Massingill ’20 will handle the bulk of the punting and kick game, respectively.  With a good amount of senior leadership, as well as strength in the younger grades, this year’s team will look to improve on its solid 2018 season. For team goals this season, the players will be looking to go 1–0 each week, with hopes of attaining the championship. “The cliche answer to [the question of goals for the season] would be to obviously win a championship and for this team that is certainly attainable,” Woodring said, “The one goal we strive for each week is to go 1–0. If we go can go 1–0 against the team we’re playing that week, well, we will end up as a very good football team. This is achievable through having excellent team chemistry, having diligent film study and flying around and having high energy practices.” If the season ends up as successful as their preseason, this team will prove strong enough to outplay their Nescac competition. “So far through preseason, we’ve had excellent practices. Our energy has been great, people have been dedicated to studying film and learning their assignments and most importantly, our team has gelled into a cohesive unit. I look forward to seeing what our team can do this year, we can surprise many people with the talent that we have on this football team,” Woodring added.

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4:44 Jay-Z 2017

The Librarian is in

Katrina Spencer is a Literatures & Culture Librarian in the Davis Family Library. In summary: A great listen for anyone interested in examining and undoing the impacts of toxic black masculinity. This album is the most striking I’ve encountered from recent memory and I mean that in reference to its content and to its dissemination. First of all, Jay-Z is one of the most powerful celebrities in Hollywood and the history of rap music moguldom. Knowing the reach of his influence, he chose to publicly expose the ideologies that threatened his intimate relationships on the world stage. Moreover, he did so on his terms: dissatisfied with musical artists not receiving enough of the financial benefit from their productions, he created his own platform, Tidal, and releases music on it selectively, providing users access for a subscription fee. Now I can’t call Tidal a “success,” per se, but what I can call it is a bold, confident and defiant move. If hip-hop is anything, isn’t it bold, confident and defiant? Its swagger and braggadocio known in every corner of the world?  And let us not forget the music video “The Story of O.J” that accompanied the release of 4:44! It’s an animated music video of a black male protagonist caricature attempting to navigate the world of the rich while ignoring his oppressed racial identity. (The “O.J.” in the title of the song refers to Orenthal James “O.J.” Simpson, a famous football figure who was tried for the murder of his wife, Nicole Simpson, in 1994 and was later incarcerated on unrelated armed robbery and kidnapping charges in 2007.) Jay-Z, along with his wife, Beyoncé Knowles, who needn’t even be named, shake the musical world every time they release music. And I don’t mean just tremors and aftershocks: I mean earthquakes.  They both seem to be expressing a desire to be as transparent with their fans as possible without betraying their privacy. So, they tell us about the drama of their marriage, their hidden demons and their efforts to stabilize their union after the hard work of repair has been done. What has touched my heart about this album is that Jay-Z critically examines toxic black masculinity in a very open, honest and public way. He acknowledges that the ruthless attitudes he had when he was a youth who dealt drugs no longer serve the loving relationships of his middle age in which he finds himself a father and a husband. He intimates that his ego nearly caused him to lose his wife. And he underscores the importance of creating a legacy that will serve his offspring. This vernacular is not one we hear often in the hip-hop world. More often we hear of women being seen as disposable, written off as disloyal “bitches” and “hoes.” We hear of the use and abuse of recreational drugs. We hear of crazy nights in the club. But how often do you hear a hard-edged rapper state that he almost lost all that he valued and decided to change before it was too late? The mere novelty of this message had me playing this disc on repeat (though I know you all stream). Its content is a message to everyone who admires the power that accompanies celebrity: a cautionary tale that incites others to recalibrate their values and to align them in ways that help them to sustain relationships that are of worth. I recommend this album to any young men who has been inundated with misogynistic messages and has struggled to understand how our society reconciles its relentless appetites for women as irresistible “ride or dies” and simultaneously refers to us as “bitches,” “hoes,” “thots” and “milfs.”

Let’s talk about SPECS, baby: Students lead new orientation event

SPECS (Sex Positive Education for College Students), a student organization focused on sex positive peer education, initiated new programming for this semester’s first-year orientation week on Sept. 4. The group hosted an information table in Axinn with boxes of condoms, lubricant, dental dams, and different contraceptive devices and safe sex devices, according to MiddView Orientation Intern Niki Kowsar ’21.5.  “You generally see condoms and know what they are but for other products you might not know much about it,” Kowsar said. “It was really interesting to learn more about them.” The event was one of 13 optional activities for incoming students, and was aimed at spreading the word about what resources SPECS has to offer, Peer Sex Educator Emma Brown ’21 said. The impetus for SPECS came out of a class project and first became a club in 2017, said Peer Sex Educator Anna Durning ’19.5. The group underwent several iterations before becoming a group under the supervision of Barbara McCall, Director of Health and Wellness Education. “Sex positivity is a counter approach to mainstream shaming and abstinence-only sexual health education curricula,” McCall wrote in an email to the Campus. “It means acknowledging that sexuality and sexual expression can be a normal, healthy part of people’s lives.” SPECS delves into subjects, like pleasure, that may have been ignored or brushed aside in high school or previous sex-ed experiences, Brown said. She also emphasized the group’s focus on consent and sex education beyond the traditional, heternormative curriculum. However, the discretionary, drop-in format of the orientation event did not allow for substantial programming, and only four new students visited the table, Durning said.  “I was really excited to learn that SPECS was given permission to participate in orientation, but disappointed when I found out that our event had to be during the optional, drop-in activity time,” Durning said SPECS members felt that orientation would have been an opportune time to institute a mandatory sex ed workshop and reach more new students. Said Durning, “Given the nature of the workshops, students can find it embarrassing to choose to attend them so making them mandatory would erase the social pressure that keeps people from turning up.” But the group was still able to have productive conversations with students and put together a “build-your-own safer sex kit” activity at the event, Durning said. Ella Houlihan ’21, another Peer Sex Educator, was also disappointed that SPECS did not receive mandatory slots for this year’s first-year events but remains optimistic about the (sex) positive influence the group can have moving forward. McCall did not comment on the details of how SPECS was designated an optional rather than mandatory activity for orientation, but said she would like to see the group continue to participate in the coming years. “It’s important for every student to have medically accurate, non-judgmental and age-appropriate information about their bodies and safer sex practices,” McCall said. Students go to each other with questions first, she said, so SPECS gives peer educators a chance to address those concerns and provide resources. Kowsar and SPECS Peer Sex Educators said they’re hopeful the student organization will take on a more significant role during future first-year orientation weeks.  SPECS plans to keep collaborating with ResLife and with the Student Government Associations’s Sexual and Relationship Respect Committee to make sure that all students can receive consent workshops, Durning said.  Students can expect to see other programming in the coming months, including pleasure and communication workshops and trivia nights in Atwater Dining Hall. SPECS will also conduct first-year dorm workshops and is accepting requests from sports teams, social houses and other groups on campus to facilitate workshops.

Men’s Soccer

The Middlebury men’s soccer team returns to action this fall after winning their final 10 regular season games and earning an NCAA tournament berth. The Panthers will look to build on this momentum as they chase the elusive Nescac title. Leadership appears to be strong; Ben Potter ’20 and Aidan Robinson ’20 will take over as captains, while Head Coach Alex Elias ’08 will embark on his second season at the program.  The Panthers began their season this past week with games against Norwich and NESCAC rival Wesleyan. The Panthers took care of Norwich 2-0, with Potter ’20 scoring off a volley in the 12th minute and Drew Goulart ’20 sealing the deal in the 70th minute. Wesleyan presented a tougher test for the Panthers. After 90 minutes and two overtime periods, the Panthers had to settle for a draw. While not a terrible result, hitting the post twice made the Panthers feel like this was their game to win.  “It was a difficult game against Wesleyan on Saturday. They were a well-organized team and difficult for us to break down,” said Captain Ben Potter ’20.  “That being said, we still felt like we had the better of the game and created some great chances to build off going forward.” Looking ahead, the Panthers will travel to Maine this weekend to face Bowdoin in their second Nescac game of the season. Just a few days later on Tuesday, Sept. 17, the Panthers will play their home opener against Mt. St. Mary of New York at 4 p.m. The Panthers return many of their key contributors from last season, including eight of their top ten goal scorers. Evident from their offseason preparation, the Panthers are ready to attack the season.  “Everyone came in fit and ready to compete throughout our grueling schedule,” said Tanner Hellickson ’21.  “We’re all looking forward to our next big Nescac game against Bowdoin this weekend.”

Men’s Tennis

The Middlebury men’s tennis team is entering the 2019 fall season having lost a class of four seniors, including standouts Lubo Cuba ’19 and Noah Farrell ’19. Cuba and Farrell had career winning percentages of .802 and .725, respectively, and will be missed atop the lineup.  Filling the gaps in both the singles and doubles core will be three first-year recruits who make up the fourth-ranked recruiting class, as reported by tennisrecruiting.net. Leading the pack is Aidan Harris ’23, a 4-star recruit out of Indianapolis. Harris was the No. 1 player in Indiana and a top-60 recruit in his class.  A recruit of similar stature, Robby Ward ’23 out of Wilmington, Delaware also figures to play a role in the lineup. Ward was also the top player in his state, and was ranked No. 78 in his class. Middlebury also adds unranked recruit Andrew Mueller ’23 from Guatemala.  Though they lost valuable pieces, the Panthers retain considerable depth returning from last season. The combination of juniors Adam Guo ’21, Andre Xiao ’21, and Nate Eazor ’21 all return as upperclassmen, having made an impact in their first two years with the program which saw the Division III national title return to Middlebury. The lone first-year representative in the starting lineup from last season, Stanley Morris ’22, will look to solidify a spot in the middle of the ladder, while former four-star and two-star recruits David Vilys and Zach Hilty will compete with the incoming first-years to round out the lineup.  Leading the squad will be seniors Weston Brach ’20, Aleksander Samets ’20 and Alex Vanezis ’20. Only Vanezis has seen significant time in the lineup during his three years on the team, and the trio will look to fill the void left by the graduates’ leadership as well as their play.  “After winning the championship in 2018, the atmosphere...coming back to campus felt a bit complacent, as if we were taking too many things for granted ... Our success this year hinges upon how quickly we can establish the habits of a championship team, especially since we lost [Farrell] and [Cuba],” said Vanezis of the captains’ goals this year.  The Panthers finished last spring with a tight loss to Emory in the Division III National Championship semifinals, but before they can start their campaign to return to the championship stage, as they did in 2018, they embark on a fall slate of individual tournaments.  This campaign begins at home this weekend with the Middlebury Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 14. The men will also compete in the ITA Regional Championships hosted by Colby College on Sept. 27.

Women’s Lacrosse Clinches Seventh National Championship Title

Ashland, Virginia — While the 90-degree weather proved to be hot, the Panthers were even hotter, as the third-ranked Middlebury women’s lacrosse team defeated the seventh-ranked Salisbury Sea Gulls 14-9 in the NCAA Division III championship. This is the team’s seventh national championship title in program history and first since 2016, having previously capture the title in 2004, 2002, 2001, 1999 and 1997. After defeating Wesleyan 16-8 the previous day in the semifinals, the Panthers’ winning streak of 22 games is the longest in the nation and is tied with their 2016 record for the most wins in a single season. Middlebury reached the semifinal against Wesleyan with their opponents having knocked off 2018 national champions Gettysburg in a surprise 10-7 upset. Emma McDonagh ’19 led the game’s scorers, with five goals. Jane Earley ’22, Henley Hall ’19 and Jenna McNicholas ’19 scored two goals each. Julia Keith ’20 spent all 60 minutes in goal with 5 saves to add to her already impressive record of 98 saves so far and a 6.39 goals-against average. The team’s appearance in the Final Four was the third time in the last four years and the 25th time since 1994. Last year, the Panthers’ run for a national title was cut short with a narrow 11-9 defeat against Gettysburg. This was Wesleyan’s first appearance in the Final Four, having knocked out previous national champion Gettysburg 10-7. Middlebury entered the Final Four with 300 goals and having previously defeated Wesleyan 11-6 in the regular season over spring break. Seventh-ranked Salisbury reached the NCAA tournament through an at-large bid and a record of 15-2 in the regular season, losing only to Middlebury and Washington and Lee. The team defeated Tufts 14-11 in the second semifinal of the day. Middlebury showed their dominance right from the beginning, with Casey O’Neill ’19 winning the first draw control and passing the ball to Erin Nicholas ’21 (a previous national championship winner this past fall in field hockey). The first two goals were scored by two-time NESCAC Player of the Week Earley and Gracie Getman ’21, both off free position shots. McDonagh, Hall and Nicholas contributed to the team’s success in the first half, with Salisbury tallying another two goals. The Panthers were at an 8-4 lead in the first half with Keith having deflected five shots. Salisbury picked up their scoring in the beginning of the second half, having put in three goals in an eight-minute span after Earley scored first less than a minute in the period. Halting their streak, McDonagh scored her second goal of the game, bringing the score to 10-7. Kirsten Murphy ’21, McDonagh and Hall scored another four goals combined, while the Sea Gulls’ Courtney Fegan score her second goal of the game. With just over three minutes left in the second half, both teams retired indoors for a 90-minute lightning delay with Middlebury on a six-goal lead. In the final three minutes, Salisbury’s Emma Skoglund scored her second goal of the game, but Middlebury held possession in the final minute as the Panthers won the title game 14-9 to a cheering set of fans and parents on the sidelines. Head Coach Kate Livesay '03, named NESCAC Co-Coach of the Year with Tufts’ Courtney Shute, achieved her second win as head coach, with her team having previously won the national title during Livesay’s first season coaching. Additionally, Livesay coached the 2012 Trinity team to a NCAA Division III championship during her time there and won championship titles in 2001 and 2002 as a student-athlete under legendary coach Missy Foote. She earned her 200th career win earlier this spring with a victory over Bates in the NESCAC Quarterfinals and was named NESCAC Coach of the Year four times at fellow NESCAC school Trinity. In a press conference following the game, Livesay praised the team's first goal scored by Earley. "Today's game was a battle," she said. "I do think we came in really composed, started out the game strong, took an early lead which really set us at ease." Keith spent all 60 minutes in goal with nine saves to add to her current total of 107. "I think that all those saves are credited to the entire defense," she said. "It’s just awesome to be part of a defense that you can completely trust." Rising star Earley, the team's second-highest goal scorer with 51 goals on the season, said that winning a national championship was a dream come true. "Our seniors this year were so welcoming and led us by example," she commented. "I want to do it again." McDonagh and her fellow senior teammates were among the 2016 national championship squad. "I’m just so happy that this team gets to experience it," she said. "Everyone on this team is so impactful." Former captain Georgia Carroll ’18 commented on the team’s incredible season. “After our loss to Gettysburg last year, watching Middlebury win the national championship feels like the closure of a year-long wound,”  she said. “I feel so proud to be part of the Middlebury lacrosse family — today and every day.” At the end of the championship game, McDonagh was recognized as the tournament's most outstanding player, while captain Sara DiCenso '19, Keith and Earley earned spots on the all-tournament team. The Panthers finished their season with a 22-1 overall record and a total of 330 goals, a new program record. 85 days prior to the national championship victory, the team experienced their only loss of the season, falling to Bates 11-10 in double overtime. Since then, the team has won all their games across tough NESCAC conference competition and some nationally-ranked teams over spring break. This record-breaking season included the most goals in a single season in program history. This year, Livesay was assisted by Katie Ritter for her second season and Amy Patton for her first season. "All of the classes bring something special," Livesay said. "It just felt like a lot of things came full circle today." In her eyes, Coach Patton "invigorated us and gave us a new confidence in ourselves and in hard moments." With her coaching staff, Livesay felt that her players were poised to walk away with the national championship trophy. “There are ups and downs but this is a really resilient crew that I just knew I could count on showing up and giving their best.” This story will continue to be updated.  

Staying in Vermont this summer? Here’s our can’t-miss list

In just a couple short weeks, as the semester winds down, some of us will pack up our dorm rooms for the final time, some will go home or jet off to various corners of the world for the summer months, while some won’t go very far at all. As your Local Editor team, we thought we would leave those of you who will be staying on campus or in Vermont this summer with some ideas of things to do when the hubbub of moving out and farewells dies down. So we brainstormed some of our personal favorite events, activities and adventures, as well as those recommended to us by our friends and peers. While this is by no means a comprehensive list of all that Vermont has to offer, we hope you will come across something new and exciting — or maybe even be reminded of some old favorite activities and haunts. We encourage you to use this summer to get off campus and learn more about the state we all live in, even if many of us do so only temporarily. CLASSIC VT: Check out Billings Farm in Woodstock, or Shelburne Farms off Route 7 to pet some adorable baby animals. Don’t miss the lively music scene! Be sure to check out the indoor and outdoor concert schedules at Shelburne Farms, Higher Ground and ArtsRiot. The Middlebury Farmers’ Market; a staple weekend activity right nearby. Get caffeinated before starting your day at Royal Oak Coffee, Middlebury’s new café! Check out our creemee roundup to find your favorite soft-serve joint. Into historical landmarks and beautiful gardens? Check out Hildene, the former summer home of Abraham Lincoln’s son, in Manchester, VT. Enjoy food trucks and live music on Fridays at Arts Riot! Looking for a date night spot or a place to bring your parents when they visit? Try Revolution Kitchen. Over 21? Check out some of VT’s Breweries including: Fiddlehead, Foley Brothers, Switchback, The Alchemist, Long Trail, and Citizen Cider. Or sample them all at the Vermont Brewers Festival in Burlington, where 50 of the state’s best breweries will gather for a weekend. More into Wine? Visit the local Lincoln Peak Winery: If you’re 21, living in Middlebury and looking for a serene place to drink some wine, drive ten minutes north on Route 7 to Lincoln Peak Winery. You can taste five of their wines for just $5 (this is a steal) and you get to keep the wine glass you use! The winery sits beside a cute little pond, so you can lounge outside on their porch by the water with your glass of wine, or even take a picnic and spread out on the grass among the vines (and eat all the grapes you want). The winery also hosts live music out on their back lawn or porch most Sundays throughout the summer: the Honey Badgers will kick off the season on June 9. Once you get there, try the Ragtime Red 2017— you won’t regret it. EVENTS & MORE: Foodaroo 5 in the Historic Marble Works District:Food trucks, vendors, farms, culinary artisans and beverage producers from all across the Green Mountain State will gather at Marble Works, just a few minute walk from campus, for an evening full of delicious food, live music and dance performances. Come prepared with $5 in hand and a big appetite to indulge in local delicacies! The fifth annual festival, presented by Middlebury UndergrounD (MUD), is slated for Sunday, June 23 from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Cheeseout like our editor did at the 11th Annual Cheesemakers Festival at Shelburne Farms: Sunday, August 11. Feeling groovy? Listen to the next great musician at the Burlington Jazz Festival from May 31 to June 9. Not into jazz? Hit up Woodchuck Music Festival (Ciderstock). It’s not a summer in Vermont without walking with some cows. Head to Brattleboro for the Strolling of the Heifers on the second weekend of June! Tumble down to Burlington for the annual Tumble Down Festival (feat. The Big Sip) Or reach for the skies at the Quechee Hot Air Balloon Festival But you don’t have to go far to have a good time. From July 7th, the town of Middlebury will host a week of free concerts and festivities for its annual Festival on the Green. OUTDOOR ADVENTURES:   When the sun gets too hot to take, cool down at one of VT’s many glorious swimming spots including: Dog Team Road, Branbury State Park at Lake Dunmore, Falls of Lana, Bartlett (Bristol) Falls, Warren Falls and the Bolton Potholes.Have an hour? Bike to East Middlebury Gorge for a dip! The Middlebury River in East Middlebury is one of the most accessible swimming spots in the area. In July and August, locals flock to the rocks underneath the Route 125 bridge right before the steep ascent up Middlebury Gap. It’s a 7-mile bike ride from campus: follow Seminary St Extension to Foote St to Cady Rd, all of which have great views of the Western Spine of the Green Mountains. Take a right onto Route 116, which will bring you to East Middlebury. At the light, take a left and follow 125 up to the bridge. East Middlebury Gorge, like many local swimming holes is known for its clear, but very cold, water. In Burlington for the day? Try biking across Lake Champlain on the causeway and bring a picnic for later. Some beautiful hikes and walks: Mt. Mansfield, Lone Rock Point, Camel’s Hump, Silver Lake, Hamilton Falls and Otter Creek Park: Need a quick dose of nature? The Otter View Park is located a few hundred feet past Freeman Drive on Weybridge Street and is an ideal spot for getting a nature fix on a tight schedule. Follow the wooden footpath across the marsh to gorgeous views of Otter Creek, or simply admire Middlebury’s native wetlands from one of the park’s many benches. Park regulars include Zeus and Thor, two pugs who frequent the trail with their owner. If you’re into some thrill seeking, venture up to Bolton for some rock climbing, cliff jump (safely please!) at Red Rocks in South Burlington, zipline at Sugarbush, or visit Get Air Trampoline park in Williston. For a more relaxed way to spend some quality time outside, take a brunch cruise on Lake Champlain with Spirit of Ethan Allen: The next time you’re trying to find a low-stress activity for a hot summer day, head down to Lake Champlain for a scenic boat tour. Perfect for when relatives come to visit  or just a slow sunny day, the tour offers an hour and a half of historic narration of Lake Champlain, stunning views and both indoor and outdoor seating. It sets sail every two hours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. all summer and only costs about $22. The company also offers a Sunset Cruise, Champagne on Champlain Brunch Cruise and Lunch on the Lake Cruise, among many other themed rides. These can get a little pricey (though not as bad as you’d expect) so we recommend the classic Scenic Narrated Cruise, and that you order a lemonade and drink it on a bench outside on the bow of the boat. Even on warm days, bring a jacket! It gets breezy.

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4.a.-Reloved-Market-Color

The Inside Scoop on Vermont Creemees

 It’s finally warm out, and for Vermonters, that means it’s creemee season. To those unfamiliar with the iconic frozen treat, a creemee is just soft-serve ice cream but with a fun Vermont nickname. Early May is opening season for many creemee stands. As an ice cream aficionado, I decided to celebrate this momentous time by attempting to visit as many stands as possible in one weekend. On Saturday, I drove up to Vergennes in the hopes of kicking off my adventure with The Main Scoop, only to find it closed. The store’s Facebook page promises it will be open for business this Friday, May 10. Despite this early disappointment, I was determined to satisfy my creemee craving. Following a friend’s recommendation, I continued up to North Ferrisburgh to investigate Vermont Cookie Love. The Love Shack is a small shop right off of Route 7 with a parking lot and benches right outside. Cookie Love sells not only creemees and hard ice cream but also freshly baked cookies, as its name suggests.  As I purchased the desserts, the very friendly cashier recounted that the family-owned business began 10 years ago at the Shelburne Farmers Market. Their website explains that owner Paul Seyler and his family moved to Ferrisburgh from New York City in 2007 and started selling cookies and cookie dough right away. Cookie Love’s creemees are produced by Kingdom Creamery in the Northeast Kingdom. A friend and I shared a small maple creemee into which we  dipped chunks of warm cookie. The addition of the cookie was a game changer, to say the least. The stand and the owner’s story were compelling; the slightly awkward destination right on the side of the highway, less so. But overall, Cookie Love served up a tasty creemee. Next, I brought it a little closer to home with Burnham Maple Farm and Market, only a few minutes’ drive from campus. A wooden, creemee-shaped sign greets you as you drive up, reading “Pure Vermont Maple Creemies.” The grass in front of the quaint red building is covered in lawn chairs of all sizes and colors. Burnham is open year-round, selling all sorts of sweet maple treats and other local products. The store began its creemee season early, opening on April 4. The owner explained that the business has been producing their own maple syrup and frozen maple treats for five years now. Perhaps it was the history, but the Burnham maple creemee seemed to have a deeper, more intense maple flavor than all the others I tried. There was also something so quintessentially Vermont about sitting in an Adirondack chair, licking away at a maple creemee. Third on my list was the Village Creeme, a Bristol favorite. This establishment was perhaps the most aesthetically charming, with its white and yellow awning, big yellow sign and picnic tables. The Village Creeme opened for the summer this Monday, May 6 and people flocked to the stand to celebrate. Families and couples waited in line to purchase not only creemees but also mac and cheese bites, burgers and more. The portions were generous and the atmosphere welcoming at the bustling Bristol business. For my final stop, I pulled up to Shafer’s Market in downtown Middlebury. Like the Village Creeme, there was a long line at the ice cream window. When it was finally my turn to place my order, I was told that the maple creemees were too soft to put into a cone. Personally, I think half the fun of a creemee is eating it out of a cone, so I went with chocolate instead. Although I was disappointed by the maple issue, Shafer’s certainly offered the most bang for my buck. And, sitting on the outdoor benches, people-watching, creemee in hand, is an unbeatable, classic Middlebury experience. I would return to all the soft-serve joints I visited, but I most enjoyed Burnham Maple Farm and Market. It was the only location that made the creemees on-site from scratch, and this was evident in the creemee’s flavor.  Ultimately, summer in Vermont is not complete without tasting at least one of these frozen dairy treats — although perhaps not four in one weekend. I’m not sure I can, in good conscience, advise that to anyone else. But there is certainly something special about sitting out in the warm sun, savoring some icy cold creemees with your friends.

‘Let There Be Dance’: Senior Dance Theses Dazzle

At one point in “Chosen Family,” a dancer depicting the ancient monster Geyren commented, “It’s all too unpredictable.”     Season 8 of “Game of Thrones” is unpredictable. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, the NASDAQ and novels by Daphne du Maurier are unpredictable. “Chosen Family,”  — the senior dance thesis that Caleb Green ’19, Lucy Grinnan ’19.5 and Maggie Phillips ’19 put on at the Dance Theater in the Mahaney Center for the Arts on the nights of May 3 and 4 — however, rocketed beyond the gray solar system of human predictability. The stage flooded with Greek Gods, atomic bonds, erotic desires, twisting limbs, smoke machines and many, many somersaults. To be in the audience of “Chosen Family” was to witness an hour-and-a-half of choreographic genesis in a garden of pirouettes, a primordial landscape where every heel click, pivot turn and shimmey radiated with mercurial mystery and bold bizarreness. Let there be dance. The evening’s first half featured “Red Me,” a hard-nosed production choreographed and written by Green. The performance gave a 1960s take on the legend of the Greek monster Geryon (Christian Kummer ’22, Michah Raymond ’21 and John Camberfort ’21). All three dancers pulled off sensitive performances, highlighting Geryon’s developing identity and sexuality in three distinct periods of the monster’s life. Green’s choreography celebrated the spontaneity of the human (or, uhm, demigod) body: Kummer and Camberfort would interrupt a long silence by slamming their palms onto the ground or stomping in adolescent angst.   The dialogue-heavy “Red Me” contained not only a lot of great dance, but high-octane drama. Green drooped her limbs while kinetically interpreting the legend of Geryon and Madeleine Russell ’19 played Geryon’s nicotine-loving Monster Mom with tragic heart. Ami Furgang ’20 energetically embodied a sculpture-come-alive; the junior film and media culture major zoomed to and fro, like a hummingbird that had been served one too many Red Bull Energy Drinks.   The crown jewel of “Red Me” took place in the middle of the production. Seduced by the older Herakles (Haegan O’Rourke ’22), the adolescent Geryon (Raymond) wrestled his lover, using tricky lifts and heel spins that ranged from the somewhat flirtatious to downright erotic. O’Rourke and Raymond absolutely murdered it with high fives and jittery jumps, their writhing silhouettes bathed in crimson light. The floor-pounding duet perfectly captured the lusty anxiety of young romance. Throughout “Red Me,” but in this scene especially, Green’s uncompromising choreography conquered the audience.   “Sentimentalia,” the second performance of “Chosen Family,” glistened in icy perfection. Its director, Grinnan, took inspiration from Ancient Greek poets. “The main poet is Sappho, whom I’ve loved since I was seventeen,” said Grinnan. “This text is not visible in the piece but shaped the movement vocabulary and relationships within it.” Although Greek poetry was its inspiration, the sweeping elegance of “Sentimentalia” also evoked the Romantic ballets of Tchaikovsky.   Midway through the performance, Ariadne Will ’22 pivoted into the ether. She then landed on all fours and lightly descended into an upside down limb-crawl of sorts. In this scene, Will’s formidable ballet skills rocked the house. Had Russian ballet-legend Vaslav Nijinsky attended “Sentimentalia,” even he might have toasted Will’s dexterity with a respectful shot of Moskovskaya.  “I dance because it allows an extension to beautiful moments,” mused Will. “There is something very raw about dance.” Dance may be raw, but the casting of “Sentimentalia” was quite well-done. Maia Sauer ’22 emulated Arctic cool with a poised grapevine near the end, and Maddie Stewart-Boldin ’19 pulled off some spry runs. Grinnan’s direction added to the thesis’ sangfroid. “In terms of my process, I tend to give dancers prompts and then edit their movement and set transitions, while other choreographers set movement directly on their dancers,” said Grinnan. “It is important to me that my dancers to feel agency over how they move their bodies.” “Sentimentalia” radiated with wit and grace, but the performance’s foremost quality was the sheer gentleness of its choreography and its dancers’ synergy. The evening ended jubilantly: Maggie Phillips ’19 presented “Double Take,” a frothy coda of science puns and kinetic interpretations of chemical bonds. Phillips, a joint chemistry and dance major, will be working for AmeriCorps next year. One prays, however, that she eventually considers working for The Daily Show; her atom-themed dance routine had the crowd in stitches.   “The creative process and the scientific method are very similar processes, if not the same process,” said Phillips. “I approach my dance-making in a very scientific framework, viewing my creation as an experiment.” And experimental it was. Chole Zinn ’22 dazzled with a low-to-the-ground solo peppered by the occasional leapfrog over the backs of her peers. The dancers also contorted themselves into the pyramid structure of ionic bonds and disassembled in covalent pizzazz. After twenty minutes, the show ended with revelry when Phillips instructed the audience to hurl dodgeballs at her dancers. “Double Take” stood out with its unique scientific approach, giving “Chosen Family” a tonic levity that raised the audience’s spirits.  A hundred and six years ago, Igor Stravinsky shocked the world with the première of his jarring but beautiful ballet “The Rites of Spring.” The equally quirky and stunning dance thesis “Chosen Family” could very well be considered “The Rites of Middlebury” — the show not only triumphed creatively, but also moved audiences with its brutal grit.   Much of the choreography in “Chosen Family” was inspired by the classics. It is then a happy coincidence that the production’s three authors donned the role of The Graces, the trio of artistic gods who made the earth a jollier, smarter place to live in. Phillips, Grinnan and Green shined. 

Workforce Planning Enters Final Stage

This week, Middlebury is entering the final stages of its yearlong workforce planning process. On Tuesday, the college finalized employees’ acceptances of voluntary buyouts, which the college terms Incentivized Separation Plans (ISP), marking the end of a process that has been ongoing since early February. Although an overview of which positions were eliminated and how each department is being affected has not yet been made available, the college has indicated that it is on track to meet its goal of reducing employee expenses by 10%, or about $8 million. The college plans to make an announcement about workforce planning after the Board of Trustees meeting in May, according to college spokesperson Sarah Ray.  President Laurie L. Patton notified faculty and staff on Feb. 4 that the college had identified 150 staff positions to be eliminated, while an additional 30 new positions would be created and filled as a result of the workforce planning process. Of the 150 positions identified for reduction, though, about 100 were already vacant through attrition and restrictions on re-hiring over the last few years. Around 50 occupied full- and part-time staff positions, including roughly 42 full-time positions, were set to be eliminated over the next few years, according to an email sent the following day to faculty and staff.   Because many staff share job titles, the college sent buyout applications to 80 employees on Feb. 8, although only 42 of their positions needed to be eliminated. Those employees had until March 11 to submit if they wished to receive a buyout. Staff members in affected positions were notified by their supervisors before receiving a buyout application from the college.  All employees eligible for buyouts were also granted access to a private job portal where they could apply to thirty new positions, which had been created as part of the workforce planning process, before they were made broadly available. This was part of the college’s effort to reduce the workforce and eliminate staff positions, while ensuring that the separation process was voluntary. The second week of March, a few days after applications for buyout packages were due, official offers were sent out. In accordance with state law, employees had 45 days, or until April 29, to accept the buyouts. The exact contents of the package varied depending on salary and duration of employment at Middlebury. Following the April 29 deadline, staff were entitled to a seven-day period during which they could rescind their acceptance.   Although administrators will not  know definitively until after accepted separation offers are finalized on May 7, college communications so far suggest that there will be no need for involuntary layoffs, which had been mentioned as a possible last resort if not enough employees took buyouts. Most recently, a March 15 email to faculty and staff said that the 47 buyout applications “put us on track to achieve our goal” of reducing employee compensation by 10%. For some staff members, especially those already planning to retire, the buyout was a welcome opportunity. For others, the process has been draining, especially when paired with the implementation of Oracle, a new online financial platform that some staff complain is difficult to navigate.  “I’ve worked here for 18 years, and right now stress levels are the highest I’ve ever seen them,” said Missey Thompson, a staff council representative and box office coordinator at the Mahaney Center for the Arts.  Some staff who received separation offers but did not want to leave the college were able to find new positions, either within their old department or in a new one. Others have had more trouble.  One employee, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, currently holds a position slated to end in June. “I have been here over 31 years, and I cannot afford to take the buyout,” she told The Campus. The staff member, who applied to three newly created positions through the private portal, has been rejected from one and never heard back from the other two. Despite repeated assurances from the college that “individuals who are offered the incentive and do not take it will remain employed at Middlebury,” some staff are faced with terminated positions and limited options in the coming year.   Still, many staff appreciate the intentionality that has gone into this process, especially compared to staff cuts the college undertook in past years, which left crucial positions unoccupied or left longtime employees abruptly out of work. Nonetheless, the communication (or lack thereof) from leadership throughout the months-long process added an additional layer to an already nerve-wracking process.  On more than one occasion, staff learned details about the progress of workforce planning from media reports before receiving any communication from the administration. The all-staff email announcing that letters would arrive within the week notifying staff their position had been terminated, along with a buyout offer, was not sent until Feb. 4, five days after a Jan. 31 Addison Independent article containing the same news. And many staff had been unaware that up to 40 new positions would be created through workforce planning until The Campus reported that fact in February. That figure was eventually lowered to 30. Staff also report experiencing limited communication across departments. Since each department had its own restructuring plan to eliminate 10% of personnel expenses, much communication about buyouts was left to individual department leaders — a decentralized approach that led to miscommunications and confusion as staff heard about reductions and changes in other departments through word of mouth.  Tim Parsons, the president of staff council, says this has contributed to a lingering anxiety among staff. “With differing levels of communications by department, the process did not go as smoothly as we had hoped across the institution,” Parsons told The Campus. “We’re still waiting to hear what the future state will be.”  The “future state” Parsons referred to is how work will be redistributed following the departure of those who accepted buyout offers. But without knowing exactly how responsibilities will be allocated, many departments are concerned that they will be expected to do the same amount of work with less staff. While the administration has repeatedly assured staff that this will not be the case, the lack of clarity on a future state has left some department heads and managers on edge. Staff hope the finalization of buyout offers this week will finally provide a clear picture of the composition of workforce planning going forward.

Back-to-Back Champions: Women’s Lacrosse Takes the Conference

The Middlebury women’s lacrosse team conquered the Tufts Jumbos for their 10th NESCAC Championship this past Sunday, 10-9. With the conference championship under their belts, the team earned an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, as well as a home game in their first national tournament match. The competition started with a back-and-forth first half, as momentum changed rapidly between the elite teams. Just as Middlebury’s senior captain Emma McDonagh hit the back of the net within five minutes of the game, Tufts answered with two goals of their own. Kirsten Murphy ’21 and Jenna McNicholas ’19 countered the Tufts response, with assists from Jane Earley ’22. Tufts then regained momentum, taking back the lead right before half, 5-4.  Tufts was able to extend its lead to three goals following halftime. Murphy and Earley then responded with two offensive strikes, eliminating the gap, and bringing the score to 7-6. Another back-and-forth stint brought the score to 9-9 with only five minutes left on the clock.  With four minutes left in the game, McDonagh punched the final goal to seal the win, sending the Panthers into the NCAA tournament. Jane Earley, NESCAC player of the week for the second time this season, scored a career-high five goals against Tufts. When asked about the team’s performance, Earley dedicated her squad’s success to their composure and motivation, which not only handed them a NESCAC Championship, but a chance at a larger post-season.  Though Tufts fell short of a NESCAC title, they earned an at-large bid into the national tournament, and did so alongside many other NESCAC teams, showing the strength of the conference. Including Middlebury and Tufts, fiveNESCAC teams filled the national bracket: Middlebury, Bowdoin, Amherst, Wesleyan and Tufts. “I think we stayed composed, especially when Tufts went up a few goals on us. We stayed calm and slowly but steadily won back the momentum,” Earley said, “It feels amazing to share such a huge accomplishment with all of my best friends. We have worked so hard to be successful in such a challenging league and to have all of our hard work pay off was so rewarding.” This upcoming Sunday, the Middlebury squad will either play JWU (16-4) or Morrisville State (14-5), depending on the results of the JMU vs. Morrisville first-round game on Saturday. Either way, the Panthers will be hosting the game on their home turf. If the Panthers continue their 13-game streak of holding opponents to single digits, as well as their perfect record against nationally-ranked opponents (12-0), their journey into the NCAA tournament will be exciting and something to watch.

Men’s Tennis Flips the Script, Wins NESCAC Title at Home

The men’s tennis team, seeded No. 3 in the NESCAC Tournament, capped off an impressive weekend on Sunday with their second upset of the tournament as they shut down top seed Amherst on the Proctor tennis courts.  The host Panthers found themselves going into the weekend as the No. 3 seed after tight losses to Wesleyan and Amherst in April. This set them up with a first round match against No. 6 seed Tufts on Friday, May 3. The Panthers downed the Jumbos 5-3 while the top two seeds, Amherst and Wesleyan, got to rest with a bye into the semifinals. Despite being the lower seed going into Saturday’s semifinal matchup against Wesleyan, the team’s goal was clear. “[The] coaches kept on reminding us that we were right there with these teams and only to focus on the process,” said sophomore Adam Guo. The Panthers wasted no time jumping out to a 2-1 lead in doubles, reversing the result from last month’s match.  A huge help on Saturday came in the way of senior Lubo Cuba’s dominance out of the top spot. In the regular season, Cuba struggled against the Cardinals sophomore Andrew Finkelman, losing in three sets. He turned it around however in front of the home crowd in a dominant straight set victory.  The Panthers had yet another rematch set for Sunday morning as they prepared to face the top seeded Amherst Mammoths, who beat the Panthers just one week ago in Massachusetts by a score of 6-3.  Revenge was again the name of the game for the Panthers, as the doubles squads jumped out to a 2-1 lead. Despite the loss up at Amherst, Noah Farrell ’19 saw familiar doubles foes and got the win, this time with the help of teammate Alex Vanezis ’20.  From then on, the Panthers could not be stopped. The match saw Nate Eazor ’21 avenge his recent marathon three-set loss to Harris Foulkes; this time Eazor steamrolled his opponent 6-4, 6-0.  On the top courts, Cuba made quick work of Mammoths sophomore standout Sean Wei, who got the best of Farrell just a week ago. He blanked Wei en route to a 6-0, 6-4 victory. Farrell allowed even fewer games from Amherst’s Kevin Ma, shutting him down 6-2, 6-1 on the center court, clinching the title as his teammates rushed in to celebrate.  It was certainly a fitting close for the two senior stars, who have headlined the program’s lineup for some time now. “[It] feels so good bringing this title home for the seniors who are leaving ... guys on and off the court [brought] the energy throughout the match,” Guo said.  The Panthers turned some heads at NESCACs by beating two higher seeded opponents and were rewarded for winning the conference. They will host three rounds of the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, for which they received an automatic bid. Friday and likely Saturday will be the last chance to see Cuba and Farrell in action at Proctor as they are seeded to move on to the third round for a potential matchup with No. 31 MIT.