RU YOUNG ARE STRAWS  MALE &

The
DEMOCRATS BAD FOR THE FEMALE
WIN CHAPTER PLANET? ATHLETES OF

Tartan
OF THE YEAR THE YEAR
2 | The Tartan Advertisements

BE ON THE FRONT PAGE

Answers to last Become a

week’s Sudoku
puzzle.
Photographer
Today!
rutartan.com

THE TARTAN NEWSPAPER

WE'RE HIRING!

STAFF WRITERS - IN ALL SECTIONS

We are looking for staff writers interested in news, sports, entertainment,
www.rutartan.com Wednesday, May 1, 2019 | 3

The
Tartan
Editorial:
Editor-in-Chief: Dylan Lepore
dlepore1@radford.edu

Managing Editor & News Editor:

CONTENTS
THE TARTAN
Ida Domingo
idomingo1@radford.edu

The Tea Editor & Copy Editor:

Jennifer Bennett NEWS + CULTURE + THE TEA + SPORTS
jbennett49@radford.edu

Sports Editor: Davis Byrd

dbyrd16@radford.edu
05 SEE US AS WE ARE: THE DIVIDE OF
Staff Writers: Jeremy Moser, Zach Potter,
Evan Mason, Tyler Martin, Nay-Quan Bryan,
WOMEN IN STEM
Brian Angus, Lucas Carr, Devin Stubbs, Chad
Boxley, Ola Elshaar, and Dustin Staples
(weather)
06 MORTAL KOMBAT 11 -
Photography and Advertising:
A VIDEOGAME REVIEW
Photography Manager: I have played Mortal Kombat off and on since the Super
Hailey Scherer Nintendo Entertainment System and of course, was excited for
hscherer1@radford.edu
Mortal Kombat 11 to release. Mortal Kombat 11 is by far is ... 
Staff Photographers: Chad Boxley, Jordan
Bennett, and Brian Angus

SMADs Manager: Yves White

08 5 SECLUDED SPOTS ON CAMPUS
ywhite4@radford.edu College life can feel a little overcrowded at times. Being always
surrounded by people can get overwhelming. So, if you’re an
For a full list go to rutartan.com/ wordpress/
contact. introvert like me, or just need a quiet place to study, here are
some spots you can go to find some peace and quiet on
WHO WE ARE
The Tartan is published on Wednesday during the
campus. 
Fall and Spring semesters and is free of charge. One
copy per person. The Tartan’s circulation is 1,500 and
currently distributed at more than 29 locations on and
around Radford University. The publication is printed at
Shenandoah Publishing House in Winchester, Va. The
00 ON THE COVER

07
Tartan may be distributed by authorized distributors only.
Contact us to be a distributor. Tyler Hall Room 025, 301 THE END OF AN 11 YEAR EPIC TALE.
Tyler Ave, Radford, VA 24141, 540-831-5474; Fax 540-
831-6725; Student Media Advertising, P.O. Box 6895
AVENGERS: ENDGAME
Radford VA, 24142.

The Tartan is part of Highlander Student Media and is

THE MOVIEW REVIEW
completely student-run. As a newspaper, The Tartan
reserves the right to address, explore and delve into
issues that affect Radford University student body and
PHOTO BY BOSS LOGIC | THE APRIL 2
the surrounding area. Advertisements in The Tartan
publication do not reflect the views of The Tartan nor
MARVEL MOVIE POSTER
Radford University, and the views, opinions, and articles
reflected and shown in The Tartan are separate from those
views and beliefs of Radford University.

MISSION STATMENT
The Tartan is a student-produced weekly newspaper
maintained in order to provide the Radford University
09 THE ONLY THING LOWER THAN
community with important news issues as well as to
educate students. The newspaper exists to provide an
YOUR GPA IS YOUR BANK
experiential ground so that students can attempt to achieve
a balance of technique, experience and professionalism as
ACCOUNT
well as courage in journalism, layout, staff development,

11 A BIG WEEK FOR HIGHLANDER’S

leadership and management. As a newspaper, The Tartan
exists to provide a fair and balanced version of the news to
Radford University and the surrounding area.

ADVERTISING SOFTBALL
The deadline for all advertising is 5 p.m. on Tuesday
before the desired issue of publication. Ads must be
This past week was a memorable one for the Radford Softball

04 08
print-ready and in PDF format; files must be delivered team. Not only did infielder Hunter Mundy record her first Big
via e-mail at smads@radford.edu. Please visit our website
www.rutartan.com/wordpress/advertising for more South Player of the Week honor but the Highlanders went 1-1 in
information, including rates and payment methods. a series against Western Carolina.
CORRECTIONS
The Tartan is committed to correcting errors that appear
in the newspaper. Those interested in contacting the paper RU YOUNG ARE STRAWS THAT
for that purpose can send an e-mail to tartan@radford.
edu or call the main number, 540-831-5474, to make a
correction to any section.
DEMOCRATS WIN BAD FOR THE
SUBMIT LETTER TO THE EDITOR
We prefer letters that are 200-400 words and take as their
CHAPTER OF THE ENVIRONMENT?
starting point an article or other item appearing in The
Tartan. They may not have been submitted to, posted YEAR What happened to all of
to or published by any other media. They must include
Having made waves in last the straws? When you walk MORE THAN A PAPER.
the writer’s full name — anonymous letters and letters
written under pseudonyms will not be considered. For
verification purposes, they must also include the writer’s
year’s city elections, the into Dalton Kitchen, you
Place an ad here.
e-mail address and phone number. Letters will be edited
and used at the discretion of the editor-in-chief for length.
Authors’ individual editorials do not necessarily reflect Radford chapter of the will notice that most of
the opinion of The Tartan or Radford University. Go to
www.rutartan.com/wordpress/letters-to-the-editor/. Young Democrats were them are gone. This took
EDITORIAL POLICIES
“Our Opinion” pieces are written collectively by members
named Virginia’s “Chapter me by surprise when I was
of The Tartan Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is
comprised of the editing staff, the Tea writers, and of the Year” at the state ... there a couple of ...
other Radford University students. These undergraduate
and graduate students represent multiple class levels
and different political, cultural, ethnic, and religious
backgrounds. Members may or may not belong to a variety
of student organizations. The Editorial Board is open to all
RU students who apply.
Here is your
COVERAGE REQUESTS
#TartanWeather
Requests for coverage and tips should be submitted by Forecast for the
email to tartan@radford.edu or by visiting www.rutartan.
com/wordpress/submit-news-tips-and-events. week Wed. May
1 - May 7, 2019.

We train future journalists, editors, radio

producers, news anchors and even entrepreneurs *This forecast is always
through our ever-evolving student-run media subject to change!!
outlets. By Dustin Staples
www.ruhsm.com dstaples1@radford.edu
 4 | The Tartan
(Left to Right) Edward
Blount, Maura Marcellino,
Geoffrey Preudhomme, VA
House Delegate Elizabeth
Guzman, Alexsis Rodgers,
and Izzie Taveras
Photo Courtesy of Geoffrey Preudhomme
RU Young Democrats Win Chapter of the Year
“In 2017, we benefited from a swell of grassroots support across the district,” Del.
Hurst explained. “Part of that was the efforts of a lot of college students on Radford
University’s campus [...]”
B y J e r e m y M o s e r ’19
jmoser9@radford.edu
H
aving made waves in last
year’s city elections, the
Radford chapter of the
Young Democrats were named
Virginia’s “Chapter of the Year”
at the state conference held in
Norfolk from April 5-7.
Chapter President, Geoffrey
Preudhomme, cites their
involvement in the 2018 local
elections as what primarily
gained them the recognition. A
year before, they were named
the state’s “Up and Coming
Chapter of the Year” for their
involvement in the successful
campaign for Del. Christ Hurst.
“It’s beyond our wildest
dreams,” said Preudhomme. “For
both elections we were both
hanging our heads down real low
thinking we were going to lose.”
2018 saw the highest voter
turnout for a Radford municipal
election, 25 percent. The
election resulted in the most
liberal city council in the city’s
history, including the liberal
mayor, David Horton, and most
women ever elected to the
council.
“I think the Young Democrats
were crucial in helping to
increase campus awareness of
what was going on in the local
election,” Mayor Horton said in
an interview with The Tartan.
Mayor Horton said that many
students are unaware of their
eligibility to vote and encourage
students to participate in the
political process.
“I think it’s important
because keeping people involved
in the process is crucial to their
growth as citizens and their
connection to the community,”
Mayor Horton said.
The Young Democrats have
made more efforts to increase
student participation in
elections. They lobbied to add
Ida Domingo, Managing & News Editor // idomingo1@radford.edu // News
a new voting precinct closer to
the University, which the city
council approved in November.
The chapter hosted the March
for Our Lives bus tour which
included some of the Parkland
Shooting survivors. They also
helped form the Radford High
School Young Democrats in the
Fall, which along with a similarly
Republican group, helped raise
2000 cans for Bobcat Backpacks
and Radford-Fairlawn Daily
Bread.
Their work with the
campaign for Del. Hurst in
2017 had them featured in
the NowThis film, “Virginia
12th”, a documentary about the
journalist-turned-politician and
what Preudhomme called “one
of the first student-organized
campaigns of its kind in the
United States.”
“I’ve been very impressed
with the work ethic and
determination by some really
remarkable young people
affiliated with the RU Young
Democrats,” Del. Hurst said in
an interview with The Tartan.
Del. Hurst unseated three-
time Republican incumbent
Joseph Yost in the 12th district
race last year, despite high odds
against him.
“In 2017, we benefited from
a swell of grassroots support
across the district,” the delegate
explained. “Part of that was the
efforts of a lot of college students
on Radford University’s campus,
whether they were related with
the Young Democrats or not. We
just had a lot of people who were
motivated to do something and
wanted to get out and participate
in local elections.”
He believes that student
political organizations can
play a vital role in the election
process beyond campaigning.
“The best role that they can
play for politicians is to inform
them of what their top priorities
are, engaging with them,
holding them accountable, and
communicating with them what
policies are important,” said Del.
Hurst.
Preudhomme is graduating
this year along with much of
the current executive board,
but the chapter has a plan for
the coming year. With a focus
on recruitment, the Young
Democrats hope to back Del.
Hurst for re-election. They will
have their final meeting of the
year May 1.
“We’re working hard with
Chris to ensure it flows just
as well as it did the first time,”
Preudhomme said. Del. Hurst
will face Republican opponent
Forrest Hite in the 12th district
race this Fall.
---------------------------------
The Tartan reached out to the
Radford College Republicans but
could not secure an interview at
this time.
The
Tartan
 www.rutartan.com
See Us as We Are: The Divide of Women in STEM
B y C o ry H i g g s
chiggs1@radford.edu
Photo Courtesy of Dr. Hwajung Lee
G
ender inequality is
affecting nearly every
industry and field,
however, STEM fields, of Science,
Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics which are core
to society’s workings have
been heavily influenced by the
connotation that they are male-
dominated fields.
Radford University’s 2018
Fact Book shows that of its
administrative and professional
staff that 58 percent are female,
but some departments are
still heavily male-dominated,
one being the Information
Technology department.
Dr. Hwajung Lee, a computer
scientist at Radford University,
has devotedly worked to get
where she is and is one of four
female faculty for the entire
ITEC school.
Dr. Lee is from South Korea,
and at an early age, found her
niche in mathematics. She said
she wished she had a more
dramatic story to tell; however,
her parents and teachers saw
promise in her in the form of
mathematics.
Dr. Lee said, “Nobody
stopped me, and it was a good
thing my parents recommended
that I start this. I’ve heard that
in many situations that when
a female high school student
picked a major many of the adults
or family, or teachers said that
IT or Computer Science is not a
field for females, that’s why they
tend to ignore Computer Science
and Information Technology for
their major.”
Data from the Bureau of
Labor Statistics shows that
there is a significant lack of
gender diversity for females in
STEM fields. Architecture and
engineering occupations show
that less than 16 percent of
workers in that field are female; a
similar case is found in all STEM
programs including Computer
Science and Information
Technology, there is especially
a lack of gender diversity where
women make up a minimal
amount of the workforce.
As Dr. Lee entered the
workforce, she started to
experience outside forces telling
her she should give up, and
she also recalls working for a
corporation that when she was
considered to be promoted in
her position, she was told that
she’d need to dye her hair to
look “older and gain respect.”
The cold hard fact is that this
is a situation all too common for
women around the world, Dr.
Lee says, “I have to prove what I
can do on and on and on, I have
to gain credit.”
A woman like Dr. Lee is so
passionate and determined
about what she’s doing is
inspirational; however, the
fact remains that professions,
especially STEM programs, have
a male-dominated connotation
associated with them. Dr. Lee
expresses this when she says,
“see us as we are,” she goes on
to say we should judge people by
their work, not their gender.
Dr. Lee is also the faculty
advisor for the student club,
“Equality in computing,” it used
to be a women’s computing club
but was changed because, in
Wednesday, May 1, 2019 | 5
their eyes, everyone deserves a Dr. Lee said, “It is not there
place to express their skills no yet, but we are getting there
matter their gender or identity. [and] that’s good news. If we are
Dr. Lee said, “We are not stuck somewhere, that’s bad,
whining, we want to be good although we do not live in [a] Dr. Lee said, “We
computer scientists, and I think
that’s the way we can achieve
perfect world ... yet, as long as
we are getting there, I consider
are not whining, we
diversity. We do not want to get it a good sign.” want to be good
an extra favor because we are a Gender inequality is a hot
minority.” issue in society, especially in the computer scientists,
In a recent article “The Secret workforce. Radford University and I think that’s the
History of Women in Coding,” holds a majority female faculty,
the New York Times takes a look yet the gender gap is still present way we can achieve
at the history of coding. in some fields such as Computer diversity. We do not
They found that the Science and Information
profession was almost entirely Technology. want to get an extra
female-dominated until the
mid-1970-80s when men started
However, according to Dr.
Lee, change is coming to the
favor because we
to integrate into the field. university, slowly but surely. The
Tartan are a minority.”
The first computer
programmer was female, Ada
Lovelace born 1815, wrote code
and thought of sophisticated
algorithms for machines to
follow. The area of Computer
Science and Information
Technology was invented by
women and ran by women for
decades, but they had been
displaced by male interest in the
field, and an idea that it was a
masculine profession emerged.
The New York Times reported
that 26 percent of the people in
Photo Courtesy of Samuel Zeller | Unsplash
computer and mathematical
occupations are women; this
statistic proves true at Radford
University where the balance
is slightly lower at 21 percent
female in Computer Science and
Information Technology.
 Culture
6 | The Tartan Dylan Lepore, Editor-in-Chief & Culture Editor // dlepore1@radford.edu // Culture

Arts and Entertainment in Radford

A Videogame Review

B y E va n M a s o n ’19
emason3@radford.edu
Mortal Kombat 11
moves to make them safe on
block, increase their damage,
open up combo opportunities,
and more.
of the Elder God Shinnok. This
sets up a lot of past versus
future self scenarios that have
character building moments,

I
have played Mortal Kombat
off and on since the Super
Nintendo Entertainment
System and of course, was
excited for Mortal Kombat 11
to release. Mortal Kombat 11 is
by far is good, bloody fun, and
quite possibly one of the best
ones to date.
The combat centers around
two punch buttons and two
kick buttons, and a block
button, though seemingly
simplistic, it requires specific
inputs from the directional
pad, and the action buttons to
string together combos. Not an
easy game for newcomers of
the series, but thankfully there
are several in-game tutorials
to help you get the hang of the
fighting system.
The game still incorporates
over the top gory finishing
moves, but they changed the
fighting up a bit in comparison
to Mortal Kombat X.
In Mortal Kombat 11 they
have slowed down the speed
of movements and also made
it tougher to string together
massive and far-reaching
combos. Some people may not
like the slowdown, but to me,
it did seem to make the game
more thoughtful and tactical
with knowing when to attack
and block and how. It also
forces you to not button
mash and to learn the
characters you are
using.
There is also a special move
called Fatal Blows, its a strong
and fast move that allows you
to do 35 percent damage that
can be used once per match
and can sometimes make or
break matches if used wisely.
There is another mechanic
added called Krushing Blows.
It is based on specific criteria
depending on the character
you are using. For example,
if you have a character who
can activate a Krushing Blow
with an uppercut, then if
they use that uppercut after
a counterattack, it will be
activated showing a gruesome
uppercut that launches your
opponent in the air and leaves
them open for a combo. Having
a mastery of the moves that
activate Krushing blows for
each character will give you an
advantage in fights.
The story mode
is really short. It
spans about 6
hours, but by
far one of the
best stories
M o r t a l
Kombat
has ever had. The story
comedic interactions, and
dramatic outcomes and
endings.
There is a lot of character
customization with gear, skins,
and techniques. They can be
unlocked through the Krypt
and Towers of time modes.
The Krypt is a mode
where you explore different
dungeons, solve puzzles, and
find and open loot gained from
in-game currency. The loot is
frustratingly
randomized, so when using
currency, you might not get
anything you actually want,
even when you’re using a high
amount of currency. Otherwise,
there are cool easter eggs to
be found and can be fun to
explore.
Towers of Time are theme
based fights that can be fun or
frustrating. They require you to
beat opponents by set criteria
such as beating opponents
with twice as much health
as you, or if you
stand near
them for
t h r e e
seconds,
y o u
g e t
shocked,
requiring you
to attack from
a distance or it
might say to get to
unlocks, and the items are also
randomized making it even
more painful.
For online, all of the
expected options are here:
you can play ranked matches,
casual matches, or King of
the Hill, but you can also play
AI matches where you pit a
team of customized characters
against someone else’s and
watch them fight it out for
rewards.
You can enhance your
fighters in this mode with
special augments and even set
their AI behavior, but there’s
not much else to it outside of
a way to keep Mortal Kombat
11 running and still earn some
rewards.
Overall the game is one
of the best, despite some of
the grind and frustrating
requirements in some game
modes, but the superb
story and the great
online gameplay is
what will keep
me coming
back for
more. The
Tartan

starts shortly after a certain area in a

Mortal Kombat X. tower and do 75
Mortal A new character: uppercuts.
Kombat 11 Kronika, an all- It can be
changes how meter powerful being with a grind
management works by control over time which to get Overall 8.5/10
splitting it in two. sets the plot down
Photo Courtesy of Mortal Kombat 11 the Videogame

The defensive meter is used a path of another

primarily for special wake- impending timeline
up options, environmental reset, due to
interactables, and a combo- Raiden’s upsetting
breaking move called a of the balance Isn’t this guy pretty scary?!
breakaway. of good and I think he’s pretty scary, I
The offensive meter is used evil with his don’t know about you!
for amplifying your special decapitation
 www.rutartan.com
A Movie Review
Avengers: Endgame
B y E va n M a s o n ‘19
emason3@radford.edu
A
vengers: Endgame is the
sum of years of Marvel
superhero movies that
needs to be experienced. This
IS the must-see movie of the
year.
The best way to enjoy
this movie is if you have
seen most, if not all of The
Infinity Saga Marvel movies
Courtesy of Jefferson College of Avengers: Endgame the Movie
before Avengers: Endgame
because you will appreciate
it that much more from the
knowledge you’ve gained. Not
only that, but there are a ton
Endgame is by far the most ambitious, emotional, and intense movie in the MCU to
date. It amazingly wraps up years of superhero stories and does so with a lot of heart.
A Restaurant Review
B y C o n s ta n ce A n n a n
cannan1@radford.edu
I
f you’re interested in trying
authentic Brazilian Cuisine,
you are in the right place!
Not more than 30 mins outside
of the city of Radford, you will
find a restaurant by the name of
Gaucho Brazilian Grille.
The smell of herbs and
sweet flavors hit your nose
as you stare in awe at the
of easter eggs and references
throughout.
(Spoilers Ahead for
Avengers: Infinity War)
Following Thanos’s snap
begins a story of the balance
that he achieved and the
aftermath. With screenwriters
Christopher Markus and
Stephen Mcfeely, and directors
Joe and Anthony Russo, this
was a colossal undertaking
offering an epic narrative
balancing darker moments,
deep emotions, and yet still
managing also to deliver
lighthearted moments and
humor.
Endgame does well to
unconventional restaurant
setup.
As I embarked on my weekly
google search for new food to
try, I stumbled upon Gaucho
Brazilian Grille, located at
880 University City Blvd #201,
Blacksburg, VA 24060.
Upon walking in, we were
greeted by the sweetest honest.
I was then seated and greeted
by my waiter with two glasses
of complimentary ice water.
Looking at the menu, it
pay homage to the moments,
characters, and relationships.
While it may sometimes feel
like fan service, and it is fan
service, it does make you
reflect on the sheer scope of
this interconnected universe
and the investment of the fans
and creators in years past.
There is a lot of focus on
the original six characters of
the MCU, but it pans out well,
while still giving the large
cast of characters moments to
shine in the process.
Without giving away
spoilers, some fans may feel like
certain characters didn’t have
much of a role, but in thinking
Gaucho Brazilian
was evident that there were
Grille
side of jasmine rice, housemate
several options to choose
from; however, despite the
numerous options, the menu
was easy to understand and
far from overwhelming. Dishes
are assigned their traditional
Brazilian name, with
descriptions written in English
for non-Portuguese speakers.
I went with the Square Meal
Sobrecoxa. This meal came
with grilled bone and skinless
chicken thigh steak, with a
of the future, some characters
will play a more significant
role in newer movies which is
why the original characters get
the most focus.
There is an over-reliance
of CGI, which is noticeable at
times, but it doesn’t take away
too much from the over the
top epic battle scenes, which
has moments of breaking
into character building and
emotional moments. The
pay off from those moments
strengthens the outcomes
immensely and gives
everything more depth.
The length of the movie,
despite being 3 hours long, is
signature pork and smoked
Kielbasa sausage beans stew
with your choice of sauce and
salad. For my sauce, I choose
chimichurri and a side order of
plantains.
My meal was spectacular!
With every bite, flavors oozed
out of my mouth.
The food and service were
so good that I decided to stick
around for dessert. I ordered
plantains, which resemble fried
Wednesday, May 1, 2019 | 7
actually well paced. It doesn’t
feel dragged out or boring. It is
a dense movie that does what
it needs to do without making
you feel ready to leave.
Endgame is by far the most
ambitious, emotional, and
intense movie in the MCU to
date. It amazingly wraps up
years of superhero stories and
does so with a lot of heart and
confidence. Though Stan Lee
is gone, this movie gives me
hope that the future prequels,
sequels, and spin-off will do
him proud. The
Tartan
Overall: 9/10
bananas. They were coated in
brown sugar and cinnamon and
served with vanilla ice-cream.
In the end, my meal and
experience were worth every
penny, and I highly recommend
a visit to Gaucho Brazilian
Grille if you are ever in the New
River Valley area. The
Tartan
Overall: 10/10
The tea
8 | The Tartan
Editorials and Opinions
OPEN
POSITIONS
The Tartan is looking for
dedicated, fast-learning, and
self-suffient student who can
set their own standars or goals
for what they would like to
contritbute to the Tartan.
• Culture Editor
• Assistant Culture Editor
• News Editor
• Assistant News Editor
• Staff Writer
• Staff Photographer
Interested?
For more information head to
Tyler Hall Room 025
Monday - Friday
10 a.m to 5 p.m.
RU Aware ...
There are more lifeforms living
on your skin than there are
people on the planet.
Looking for
Tartan Archives?
Rediscover the history of the
Tartan through exploring all the
way back to 1910, when it was
initially called the Grapurchat
to when it was rebranded as the
Tartan in 1979.
Go to rutartan.com and select
the “More” tab to find those
archives.
Do old newspapers bore you?
Check out our new photo
gallery on Flicker by selecting
the “photo” tab to wander
our photos taken by our
exceptionally phenomenal
photographers.
Are Straws
That Bad
for the
Environment?
B y E m i ly S a r g e n t ‘19
esargent@radford.edu
W
hat happened to all
of the straws? When
you walk into Dalton
Kitchen, you will notice that
most of them are gone. This took
me by surprise when I was there
a couple of months ago.
Plastic straws have long been
the subject of debate due to their
impact on the environment.
According to National
Geographic, 500 million straws
are estimated to be used daily in
the United States with billions
of plastic straws polluting the
world’s beaches.
How did this happen?
One reason is that plastic
straws cannot be easily recycled.
According to Get Green Now,
straws are usually made from
type 5 plastic. Most curbside
recycling programs do not accept
this type of plastic, which means
they get dumped in landfills or
5 Secluded Spots on Campus
B y B r i a n A n g u s ‘22
bangus@radford.edu
College life can feel a little
overcrowded at times. Being
always surrounded by people
can get overwhelming. So, if
you’re an introvert like me, or
just need a quiet place to study,
here are some spots you can go
to find some peace and quiet on
campus.
2nd Floor Library Study
Rooms
When you enter the library,
take the stairs or elevator one
Jennifer Bennett, The Tea Editor // jbennett49@radford.edu // The Tea
the ocean.
Sophomore Marah Cheek
knows how straws can harm
ocean wildlife, saying, “I’ve
heard they get stuck in turtles’
throats and they can’t breathe
[but] I don’t know how much
worse they are compared to
other plastics.”
Senior Jarett Driskill is also
aware of the threat straws pose
to the ocean saying, “Sea turtles
are swallowing them and dying.”
Straws remain in the
environment because they do
not break down easily. According
to Get Green Now, plastics do
not biodegrade. They cannot
be naturally broken down and
recycled into a new life. It’s no
wonder the earth is in danger
with all of these non-renewable
resources contaminating it.
Restaurants are currently
planning to do away with
straws because of these
findings. According to National
Geographic, “Starbucks plans
to phase out plastic straws by
floor down. You’ll be greeted by
rows and rows of bookshelves,
but to the right of the floor,
there is a line of study rooms.
Each room has a desk with
a few chairs and sometimes a
bean bag chair. The rooms are
tranquil as there aren’t usually
many people down there.
Peters Hall Garden
Upon entering Peters Hall,
from the entrance closest to
Dalton, walk straight ahead and
take the staircase to the first
floor. At the bottom of the stairs,
TURN TO SPOTS PAGE 9
Quote of the week
“For every complex problem there is an
answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”
- H. L. Mencken
2020.”
McDonald announced last
year that it would be banning
plastic straws at restaurants in
the United Kingdom and Ireland.
This move is a response to the
demanding public action against
a product harming the ocean.
As mentioned earlier,
Radford University’s Dalton
Kitchen has cut back on the use
of straws to tackle this problem.
“Straws are still available in
the dining room, we just moved
them to the front of the room,”
said Resident District Manager
Adrean Harris. “If you really
want a straw, you can get one up
front.”
Harris also said that several
people have sent emails and
made phone calls thanking the
staff for moving the straws.
The use of straws has greatly
decreased now that they are no
longer by the soda fountain.
I think straws are bad for
the environment because they
cannot be recycled. Anything
Peters Hall Garden
Photo Courtesy of Atikh Bana | Unsplash
that cannot biodegrade should
not be thrown away. People
think that just one straw won’t
make a huge difference, but it
will. Once discarded, one straw
will become one of the billions
that seriously harm the ocean.
Even I am finding myself
using plastic straws because I
have no other option. When my
drink contains a lid, it’s only
logical to put a straw in it. This
is what I have grown accustomed
to doing. However, I do think of
the environment every time I
use a straw now because I care
about our planet.
I hope that one day, straws
will no longer be made from
plastic but paper or other Eco-
friendly materials. That way,
people who are used to using
them will still have the option.
By taking a stand against
plastic straws, we can become
one step closer to a cleaner
planet. The
Tartan
Photo by Brian Angus | The Tartan
www.rutartan.com
The Only
Thing
Lower
Than Your
B y N ay -Q ua n B rya n ’22
nbryan3@radford.edu
I
hear it, you hear it, the cries
our wallets make every time
we open them. Our credit
and debit cards yell with glee as
we swipe them continuously and
by the end of the school year, the
only thing lower than your GPA
is your bank account.
As students, we spend so
much money on school and
textbooks, but then there are
so many other costs we have to
deal with. For our dorms, we’re
buying decorations, toiletries,
cleaning supplies, and food. We
love a good snack supply. I know
a majority of my money this
year was spent on clothes, more
clothes, and shoes.
We have certain supplies
for our classes, for example, if
FROM SPOTS, PAGE 8
turn right and follow the
hallway till you come across a
door leading you outside.
Here you will find a tiny
courtyard and a small garden.
The area looks like it doesn’t
receive many visitors as there is
moss growing up from the brick
on the ground, so this would
definitely be a great place to
relax and find some peace.
you’re in a math class, you would
most likely need a TI-83 or TI-
84 calculator, and they’re pretty
expensive. For my studio design
class, we had to buy supplies for
our projects.
My classmates Ariel Kern, a
freshman in Design Management,
and Kayla Courtney, a freshman
in Fashion Merchandising, and
I would go supply shopping
in Christiansburg, and almost
every time after shopping we
would go out to eat.
I’ve gone to the movies a
lot with Kimberly Bythewood,
a freshman in Dance, and after
the movies, we usually stop
somewhere to eat.
I spend money on clothes
and food the most. I predict by
the end of the semester my bank
account will be lower than my
GPA.
While the semester is
Just watch out for the bees.
Lot Z River Bank
On the river bank behind lot
Z, some benches overlook the
New River. There is a little bit of
traffic noise in the background,
but overall it is a peaceful spot
to sit on a beautiful day.
There are plenty of trees to
set up hammocks, and I’ve seen
some people fish and kayak out
there as well.
coming to an end, and the girls
(plural to both men and women)
are BROKE. There are so many
expenses to deal with, whether
it’s school related or not.
Your tire could’ve popped,
and you had to get it replaced,
or you could’ve gotten another
car-related issue. Medical issues
are expensive especially if you
don’t have insurance, which is
somewhat often because not
everyone can afford it.
People also like to have a
good time, and we spend money
when we’re with our friends.
Some of us are just really reckless
with our spending — me, buying
clothes year-round even though
my closet is already full.
These expenses add up, and
sometimes you may also have
bills. I pay monthly for my phone
bill, which is $127 a month,
Apple Music is $5.99, Amazon
Kyle Hall Deck
Many people have probably
seen this spot, but if you’re
like me and never have classes
in Kyle Hall, you may just be
hearing about it.
There is a deck on the front
side of the building, fit with only
a couple of tables and chairs. So,
it isn’t always easy to get a spot
on a beautiful day.
From the decks, you can
GPA Is
Your
Bank
Account
Prime is $7, Apple iCloud is $1,
Hulu is $1 a month (for now).
That totals in $142 a month.
Then add in my other spending
habits, that means I’m a broke
girl pretty much year-round. My
grades look way better than my
bank account.
But there are ways to improve
both. Studying in repeated
intervals can help remember
the materials you learn in class,
which in turn will help you do
better on test and quizzes.
Setting spending limits on
certain bank accounts can help
regulate spending and help
you learn how to budget your
money. I believe most banking
apps give cardholders the ability
to set spending limits for every
month and once you reach the
limit, you’re unable to spend any
more.
As I said earlier, the
overlook the Bonnie area and
some of the “dark side” housing.
Information Literacy Center
‘B’ (ILC B) in the Library
On the third floor of the
library, towards the back near the
restrooms, is ILC B, a functional
classroom and study area.
The room is used to teach
research workshops, but when
no classes are scheduled the
room is open to anyone. It has a
Wednesday, May 1, 2019 | 9
Photo Courtesy of Guilherme Stecanella | Unsplash
Photo Courtesy of Jimi Filipovski | Unsplash
semester is coming to a close,
and a majority of us are broke, so
save your coin up this Summer
because next year, there will
be many more expenses to deal
with. The
Tartan
I pay monthly for my
phone bill, which
is $127 a month,
Apple Music is
$5.99, Amazon
Prime is $7, Apple
iCloud is $1, Hulu
is $1 a month (for
now). That totals in
$142 a month. I’m
a broke girl pretty
much year-round.
very bright, colorful, and modern
design giving you a lively feeling,
and is fitted with desks, couches,
and whiteboards, allowing for a
multitude of spots and ways to
study.
Radford might seem like a
small campus, but just a little
curiosity and wonder can lead
you to some pretty interesting
places around campus. The
Tartan
Sports
10 | The Tartan Davis Byrd, Sports Editor // dbyrd16@radford.edu // Sports

The Tartan’s Female Athlete of The Year

WRITE FOR US!
RU an established, or
fledgling journalist? Or
maybe you just love to recipient. This careful selection and Forward. at Radford University was over.
write, and this might be B y C h a d B ox l e y ‘19 came in result of her amazing Walker mentioned during an She eventually went on
cboxley@radford.edu
your first time showcas- performances and contributions interview with The Tartan how to accomplish that goal, Mar.
ing your hidden talent? to her team this year. she loves to get her teammates 17, inside of the Deadmon
The Senior Communications involved as much as she can. center against Campbell as the
Want to bring your opin- major led the Radford She was responsible for 80 Highlanders won their first Big
ions and unique views University’s Women’s Basketball assists and 46 total steals this South championship since the
to the masses? Love the team from her Guard/Forward season. 1995-96 season.
idea of reporting on and positions this season to an Her final Basketball season When The Tartan asked
impressive (27 - 6) record which included a dominating 18 game Walker about how she felt about
off campus news, voicing
included a dominating (17- 1) win streak by the Highlanders receiving this award, she replied
your opinion on topics
Big South conference record. that lasted from Jan, 12 to that she was so honored to
ranging from movies,
Photo Courtesy of Radford Athletics

This season the Florence S.C
laws, and on the many native played and started in all
fun, and sometime’s un- 33 Highlander basketball games,
usual, attractions going scoring a total of 462 points,
on around campus? Then which averaged out to a solid
give Radford Universi- 14.0 points per game.
March 23 as well as an NCAA
tournament appearance.
During the Highlanders
NCAA tournament appearance
against the Maryland Terrapins,
Walker was responsible for
receive it, but she thinks that
her teammate, Lydia Rivers,
should’ve won it because she has
been a big fan of her outstanding
performance this season.
April 20, Walker officially

A
ty’s Student-run News- pril 27, The Tartan Walker continued to display 15 points during her strong signed with her agent and is
paper a shout and email selected Radford all season how extremely performance, but unfortunately, currently preparing to continue
the Editor-In-Chief! University Women’s versatile she is and that she can they weren’t victorious. her basketball career. She will
Basketball standout Destinee attack opponents from multiple Walker stated that her start playing overseas beginning

Tic-Tac-Toe
Walker as The Tartans first ever positions on the court, which is goal was for the team to win a in September of 2019. The
Tartan

Female Athlete of the Year Award why she’s listed as both a Guard championship before her tenure

The Tartan’s Male Athlete of The Year

Tartan’s Male Athlete of the Year in leading his team on an
B y C h a d B ox l e y ‘19 Award. impressive 7 game win streak at
cboxley@radford.edu Szamski is a Geology major one point this season.
here at Radford University, and Szamski even also received Whenever Szamski
he is the son of Jim and Susan
Szamski. He also has one sibling,
national honors earlier this
season when he was recognized,
steps up to bat,
The RU Funnies his brother Jimmy who also has a April 2, by USA Golden Spikes no matter who his
How many tickles does it take to tickle
an octopus?
history with baseball.
Szamski continues to show
when he earned their Player of
the Week Award.
opponents are,
Tentacles! improvement day in and day out Szamski’s batting average they are instantly
----
What do you get when you cross an
on the baseball field.
Whenever Szamski steps
this season sits at an impressive
.337, and he currently leads
frightened. During
elephant and a rhinoceros? up to bat, no matter who his his team in that category. The this season
Photo Courtesy of Radford Athletics

opponents are, they are instantly
Elefino!
---- frightened. During this season
Whats the difference between the opponents often attempt to shy
away from him because of the
Starship Enterprise and toilet paper?
Nothing, they both orbit Uranus power he displays behind each
hit he takes at-bat.
standout also led his team in
opponents often
runs scored with 43.
He has also dominated attempt to shy away
hitting the baseball this season
from him because
as he was responsible for 58
total hits! of the power he

T
wiping out Klingons!
---- he male athletes here at
What’s the difference between a Radford University this
crocodile and an alligator?
One you’ll see in a while and the other
school year have been
extraordinarily outstanding,
you’ll see later! and they put on amazing
---- performances for their
Who’s the king of the classroom? respective teams each day.
The Ruler! Although one remarkably
He is currently tied for first After his eventful year,
place with teammate J.D Mundy the Highlanders will surely displays behind
in the category for most home
runs, as they both now have 9.
miss Szamski’s impactful
performance on the baseball
each hit he takes
Although the Highlanders field next season!The
Tartan at-bat.
baseball season has been rocky,
Szamski has consistently
dominated from his outfield
Photo by Chad Boxley | The Tartan

---- individual stood out to The
What’s the difference between a well Tartan staff, and he goes by the
dressed man on a unicycle and a name #8 Andrew Szamski.
poorly dressed man on a bike? Saturday, April 27, The Tartan
Attire! selected the redshirt senior to be
the first-ever recipient for The
position during his 44 starts this
season.
The Glen Arm, Md. native
earned two Big South Player of
the Week Awards this season.
He also played a major role
 www.rutartan.com
A Big Week for Highlander’s Softball
B y L u c a s C a r r ‘20
lcarr15@radford.edu
T
his past week was a
memorable one for the
Radford Softball team.
Not only did infielder Hunter
Mundy record her first Big South
Player of the Week honor but the
Highlanders went 1-1 in a series
against Western Carolina.
The Highlanders split a
doubleheader in Radford against
the Catamounts on Wednesday,
April 24, taking the first game
and dropping the second. The
3 o’clock start time Radford
proved to be a charitable one
as they exploded for 8 runs on 8
total hits.
Photo Courtesy of Radford Athletics
Radford Men’s Baseball Falls to Virginia Tech
B y D e v i n S t u bb s ‘19
dstubbs@radford.edu
R
adford Men’s baseball
hosted the Virginia Tech
Hokies Wednesday, April
24. The match took place at the
Carter Memorial Stadium at 6
p.m. and was aired on ESPN+.
The Hokies ended the four-
game winning streak for the
Highlanders, besting them 8-6.
The Highlanders entered the
game optimistic, led by starting
pitcher Cole Dunn. Dunn, a
right-handed freshman pitcher
from Middletown, DE, pitched
for 3.1 innings. He yielded four
earned runs on six hits against
the Hokies.
Derek Domecq, a left-handed
freshman pitcher from Crozet,
VA, took the loss for Radford.
He allowed three runs in 2.2
innings, 2 of them being earned.
The two relievers showed
grand play in the final three
innings out of the bullpen.
The First Game
In the first inning, the
Highlanders scored two runs as
Maggie Rowe marked her 27th
run of the season, and the sixth
of the past two games.
Western Carolina was able
to get on the board in the third
but was unable to keep up with
Radford’s unrelenting offense.
Jesse Marvin was at the plate for
the Highlanders and she allowed
6 runs but tallied 6 strikeouts as
well.
Sienna Williams was batted
in by a double from Ellie Rowe.
Destiny Freeman forced bases-
loaded walk to home, and
Sofia Tapia batted in two other
runners on a double for the
Highlanders three-run sixth
Ryan Bywaters, a right-handed
sophomore pitcher from
Smithsburg, MD, only let in 1
run over 2.0 innings. The right-
handed pitcher, Graham Firoved,
allowed no runs in 1 inning. The
freshman from Virginia Beach,
VA also earned 2 Ks.
Though the Highlanders
ultimately fell to the Hokies,
they fought a hard battle.
The second baseman, Clayton
Blaine, hit his third home run in
the last two games. The redshirt
sophomore from Lovettsville, VA
drove in a team-high of 3 runs.
Garrett Matheny, a Virginia Tech earned a 4-1
sophomore left fielder from Perry
Hall, MD, smacked his 2nd home
run of the season. Adding to the
team overall 12 walks against
the Hokies, redshirt junior
shortstop Colby Higgerson drew
four of them. The first baseman,
Spencer Horwitz, was able to
reach base by free pass three
times. The Highlanders stranded
10 of their own on base in their
demise against VT.
inning. They finished the inning
8-1 and subsequently the game.
The Second Game
In the evening game, the
Highlanders’ eight-run streak
ended, dropping the match-
up 0-1. With Kayla Huffman
at the plate, she only allowed
one run on two hits. Although
the Highlanders were unable
to get the steady offense going,
Huffman ended the game
retiring the last nine Catamount
batters.
Fisher, Rowe, and Tapia all
recorded hits in the five o’clock
game. Fisher led the pack with
two and Tapia recorded her
fourth of the doubleheader.
The Hokies came out strong
in the first inning, scoring
two runs. Dunn allowed 2 RBI
doubles, giving Tech the lead
over Radford.
Virginia Tech continued
their pursuit and added to their
lead. In the top of the second,
the Hokies scored on an RBI
single pushing the score to 0-3.
The Highlanders finally got
on the board in the bottom of the
third. Matheny fired a 1-1 pitch
over the left field wall against
the Hokies’ starting pitcher. The
score was 1-3.
advantage after an RBI single in
the top of the fourth.
The bottom of the fifth
inning was filled with power
plays by the Highlanders.
Horwitz scored on a wild pitch
by the Hokies, pushing the score
to 4-2. Radford took the lead
after Blaine launched a three-
run homer off the scoreboard
in left center. His fourth of the
year, the Highlanders now led
Wednesday, May 1, 2019 | 11
Big South Player of the Week Mundy was able to help lead
In other news, over the the Highlanders to a series sweep
Highlanders’ past six games, against Hampton, finishing with
Hunter Mundy spearheaded the a phenomenal 24-0 final score in
women’s offensive game. She the last game of the series.
was named Big South Player of Playing just under .500 ball
the Week going 10-for-18 from this year, the Highlanders have
the plate that gave her a .556 three more games left in the
batting average. She was also season. They will participate
able to catch four extra-base in another three-game series
hits (one double and three home against the Campbell Camels.
runs). The series will begin May 3, and
Senior Day and the series May 4 which will feature another
finale against Big South doubleheader at 1 p.m. and 3
opponent Hampton, Mundy p.m., respectively.
showed out and produced a
4-for-4 performance. She was ---------------------------------
also able to record a career-high
five RBIs in what became her Cheer on the Softball team
first and likely not the last Big as they aim to finish the season
South weekly award. on a high note! The
Tartan
Sofia Tapia
the Hokies 5-4.
Radford having the lead was
short-lived, Tech responded
immediately and tied the score
in the top of the 6th. The Hokies
scored off of an RBI single. They
would add two more runs in the
7th, keeping the lead for the rest
of the game.
Adding their final point to
the board, Tech hit a home run
to right center in the top of the
8th. The Hokies extended their
lead over Radford, 8-5.
Adam Whitacre, a redshirt
junior from Stephens City, VA,
gave Radford their final point in
the game. The pinch hitter hit an
infield RBI, pushing the score to
6-8.
---------------------------------
Photo Courtesy of Radford Athletics
The Highlanders will be
traveling to Raleigh, NC to take
on NC State Friday, May 3. The
three game series will take place
after the series against Gardner
Garrett Matheny
Webb.
The
Tartan
12 | The Tartan Yves White, SMADs Manager // ywhite4@radford.edu // Advertisements

Beehive
Release
Party
Friday, May 3rd
4:00-5:00pm
Location: Muse Lawn

Come get your free

copy of Radford’s
Yearbook!
beehive@radford.edu