The Yellow Jacket | 12.5.19

I N S I D E TWO WAYNESBURG STUDENTS STUDY ABROAD IN SOUTH KOREA S E E A 4

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DECEMBER 05, 2019 • VOL. 97 NO. 07 • EST. 1924

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OP-ED

REGION

SPORTS

Taking a mental break is important but may prove detrimental if it is for too long.

Percentages of individuals with drug use disorder in Pennsylvania counties analyzed.

SEE A2

SEE B1

Under first year head coach Tim Fusina, Waynesburg basketball is redesigning approach.

SEE B3

Grace Hutchison, The Yellow Jacket

FIGHTING

BACK

Waynesburg University seniors (from left to right) Shane Johnson, Ryan Piecknick and Mike Trax fundraised a total of $1,518 through a basketball fundraiser Nov. 24.

Students fundraise for friend living with Ewing Sarcoma GRACE HUTCHISON For The Yellow Jacket

Waynesburg University students hosted a basketball fundraiser Sunday, Nov. 24 to benefit Canonsburg resident Mitch Barton and his family as he battles Ewing Sarcoma, a rare form of cancer.

The event was held at Canon-McMillan Hig h School and featured pickup basketball games, a bake sale and a 3v3 tournament, with proceeds funding treatment for Barton’s

cancer.

Ryan Piecknick, senior accounting major, assisted in the organization of the event with fellow Waynesburg University students as a project for a business class.

Piecknick and his group members are currently enrolled in the Leadership and Stewardship class, where he and his classmates were challenged to brainstorm ideas to tackle an issue in the local community.

After discussing ideas, the group members discov-

ered a common connection between themselves and Barton.

The group members that knew Barton shared positive memories with him and wanted to assist both Barton and his family.

“It’s sad to see that something like this is happening to someone who has so much to live for, but might not get to see that far into the future,” Piecknick said.

Piecknick knew Barton through high school sports, and t wo of Piecknick’s group members had actu-

ally graduated alongside Barton.

“I was really moved by it and wanted to pursue it further for our actual project,” he said.

Mike Trax, senior sports management major, has known Barton for years and enjoyed hosting an event to benefit his cause.

“I have known him most of my life, so I was glad to help him out,” Trax said.

Each group member had a specialty area they managed for the project, with Piecknick overseeing ad-

‘The spirit of the season’ Fine Arts Department plans Christmas performances LACHLAN LOUDON Web Editor

The holidays are rapidly approaching, and the Fine Arts Department at Waynesburg University is taking advantage of the Christmas spirit. the department is hosting a series of Christmas concerts, including Tuba Christmas tomorrow, Dec. 6, and the Music Program’s Christmas Concert Saturday, Dec. 7.

“For me, the spirit of the season speaks through the music,” Dr. Ronda DePriest, instructor of music and director of the Symphonic Band, said. “This time of year I have Christmas music playing in the background while I’m [grading papers] just to keep the spirit alive and wake me up to the season.”

The Tuba Christmas performance, which will occur on the Goodwin Performing Arts Center stage tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m., is on stage for the twelth time since 2008. This musical event will

vertising and promotion.

The collaboration of group members was key to the success of the event, said Piecknick.

“They really helped bring this project to life,” Piecknick said.

Piecknick said the advertising of the event was challenging due to a limited budget, but he remained motivated for Barton and Piecknick’s own relatives who have battled cancer.

For contributions to the event, Piecknick and his group focused on the local

Executive Editor

Dr. Ronda DePriest, director of the Symphonic Band, prepares for upcoming performances. feature different trumpet and horn players performing four-part harmony carols with “lovely overtones,” DePriest described.

Reaching international levels, Tuba Christmas is more than a local gathering, with regional concerts all over the United States.

“Any time you can get in on something that’s going

to be presented in over 300 cities during the Christmas season, that’s pretty cool to be a part of,” DePriest said.

“It’s bigger than it seems than just the concert on the stage. It’s really become this ‘call to mecca’ for euphonium and tuba players.”

This festive concert allows the audience to participate, as the lyrics to the

carols will be shown on the projector screen during the second run-through of the songs.

Following Tuba Christmas this weekend is the Music Program’s Christmas Concert, featuring the Lamplighters Concert Choir.

Professor Melanie Catana, MUSIC >> A4

CANCER >> A4

Focus 2 Career program to assist in student choices HOLLY HENDERSHOT

Hailey Beck, For the Yellow Jacket

community, who are most directly impacted by Barton’s story.

“We have gone to local businesses and individuals, willing to donate anything that can help,” he said.

Shane Johnson, senior business management major, coordinated the fundraising for the basketball tournament and bake sale.

“Our goal for the event is to make close to $1,000 to help benefit Barton and his family for cancer treat-

It is not always easy to discover what career path is best to follow for each individual, especially for college-age students. The newly created Pathways Center at Waynesburg University, however, recently started utilizing a program to assist students in finding their vocation.

Focus 2 Career is a program consisting of several assessments and tools students can use to help determine what may be a good career or vocational fit for them. Any university student or alumnus can create an account on the program and take the assessments through Waynesburg University.

Sarah Bell, career development specialist, said students can choose to take a number of assessments through the program, depending on what they are hoping to learn

about themselves.

“One of the primary features of Focus 2 Career is that it assesses career and vocation and where students could go with their career path,” Bell said. “I see this as something that’s particularly useful for students who are exploring or undecided or who are up in the air or considering changing their major, because the different assessments look at different things.”

Students have the option to combine the assessments they take to see potential career options that may be in tune with the student’s skills, values and interests, according to the assessments. Bell stressed that these suggestions should not be considered the only choices, but are simply helpful guides for students exploring different options.

“It’s not meant to be a test CAREER >> A4

PAGE A2

DECEMBER 5, 2019 S PJ B E S T A L L - A R O U N D N O N - D A I LY N E W S P A P E R

WINNER: 2004 2016 FINALIST: 2003 2013 2014

OPINION

Passionate writer begins next chapter GRACE HUTCHISON Columnist

STAFF EXECUTIVE EDITOR DIGITAL NEWS DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR REGION EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR SPORTS WEB EDITOR OP-ED EDITOR WEB EDITOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS

HOLLY HENDERSHOT ANDREW HREHA GRACE HUTCHISON EDWARD BOICE DYLAN CLELAND JOE SMELTZER RACHEL PELLEGRINO LACHLAN LOUDON ELAINA SPAHMER EMMA HERRLE ANGELICA GOOD SIERRA MEDINA

TECHNICAL/FACULTY ADVISORS: RICHARD KRAUSE SARAH BELL KRISTINE SCHIFFBAUER

EDITORIAL

Time for a break Long mental rests can be harmful for students With Thanksgiving and Black Friday passing, students are now looking forward to winter break and the holiday season.

Even though the fall semester is coming to a close, that does not mean the learning and growing in students should stop until next semester.

College is a short part of a student’s life. They have studied in grade school for at least 12 years, in college for 4-6 years, and then will likely spend around 50 years in the workforce.

While it is short, the collegiate level of learning is paramount in a student’s future. They choose something they want to focus on and then spend those pivotal years honing their skills to reach the workforce level of performance.

Breaks in between semesters are where students can either grow or lose some of their skills. To learn more and, at the very least, retain what skills they developed during the semester, students can do a myriad of things. Embracing the opportunity to work as an intern, working part-time in the field-of-interest, studying and taking CLEP courses are a few ways to keep those skills sharp.

While summer and winter breaks are meant for what they are explicitly titled - breaks - becoming stagnant in learning and developing can set back those skills.

If someone is capable of running a 10k marathon and then does not train for multiple months, the person cannot go straight back to running 10ks like they used to. The same concept holds true with college and breaks. Not using those skills and mental muscles will cause memory loss and lower the skill level that was developed and risen in school.

Keep working and training during breaks, but remember to rest.

The school year can be draining and become arduous. Breaks are meant to replenish the energy and excitement of learning. So, while retaining those skills is important, do not work as tirelessly as in school.

Prioritize taking care of the body and mind for the next school year.

With the holiday season approaching, preparations beginning and winter break a little less than two weeks away, do not forget to practice those skills and exercise the muscle memory developed during school. Losing them will force the need to catch up when school starts again and hinder growth. Above all else, prioritize resting and regaining the love of learning for the next semester.

The Yellow Jacket would like to wish everyone a happy holiday and a wonderful new year!

Well, this is it.

After seven years, 67 newspapers and what feels like no less than 8 billion bylines, I have made it to the finish line.

Admittedly, I have fantasized about this very moment.

The moment when I type my last sentence, turn in one last article and export layout for the final time.

It seemed unimaginably triumphant, but ever-fleeting.

Too far away to touch, yet so close I could almost taste it.

Now that I am here, I am totally unable to believe that this chaotic, exhausting and life-altering journey is over. *** I have certainly never been a ver y forwardthinking person.

I am usually buried in the stress of each day, too distracted to ever truly ponder tomorrow.

The end of my time as a journalist seemed far in the fuzzy future, too distant to picture.

Even when people congratulated me as my college journey has wound down, their words seemed hollow and untrue.

Then, like a sudden beam of light, in a room swallowed by darkness, I can’t help but be struck all at once that this journey is over.

As I sit here now, 22 years old and mere weeks away from a college degree and a full-time job, I truly find it difficult to fathom how much I have changed since I wrote my first article in 2012. *** Unmotivated and apathetic to my education, I registered for my high school’s journalism class as a sophomore.

Li ttle did I know, a thoughtless checkmark on my class schedule would lay the tracks for my future and transform me in ways I never could have imagined.

In high school, I was anything but exceptional academically.

Shocking, I know, because now my friends and family can attest that I consider any score under 93% a disappointment.

I find it difficult to pinpoint exactly why I was so lackadaisical about my future at the time, but I can now narrow the problem into two specific reasons.

My lack of motivation stemmed from the fact that I had never found a class that I cared about or a teacher that cared about me.

Luckily, I found both in a high school journalism class titled, “Print Media.”

In that class, I cemented lifelong friendships (I love you Reilly Collins) and discovered a passion for writing and graphic design that I will carry with me forever.

I would eventually take print media two more times during my junior and senior years of high school and hunt for colleges with my mind absolutely set on pursuing communication. *** When I first joined the newspaper at Waynesburg University, I was timid and unsure of my ability.

On staff, I found myself surrounded by exceptionally talented writers, and in comparison, I felt laughably average.

Honestly, I let myself feel defeated for a while, just trying to find peace in turning in work that I deemed “acceptable.”

But, after becoming close with my fellow editors, I found a spark for writing I had never quite felt before.

Instead of accepting defeat, I was challenged

by their talent and tried to learn more from them to sharpen my skills.

I found a niche in writing pieces that highlighted student diversity, and I truly felt a sense of pride from the work that I was accomplishing.

I loved amplifying the voices of people that were otherwise ignored on campus.

Among the staff of The Yellow Jacket, I found myself as both a writer and a person. *** Since this is the last time my writing will ever be put into ink and published, I feel it is only appropriate to thank each person who has brought me to this point.

I need to thank the people who have transformed my life in the most major ways imaginable in preciously few words.

I apolog ize for the brevity (the op/ed editor will only let me drone on for so long), but know that I am more grateful for each of you than you will ever know.

I will begin with the man who got me here, the teacher of my high school journalism class, Aaron Fitzpatrick.

He was the first teacher who ever truly believed in me and took the time to encourage me to do my best.

Thank you for looking closely enough to find the potential I had in me.

Thank you for telling me I had talent and helping me find it. Without you setting me on this path those years ago, I would be without so much that I now treasure.

Thank you to Sarah Bell for being an exceptional advisor and caring friend.

Thank you for never giving up on us when many others did.

Thank you, Tré Thomas, for being a friend I could never deser ve.

Though you would roll your eyes when I left

you for the newspaper on Monday and Tuesday nights, you let me go, knowing I was off to be a part of something I was passionate about.

Thank you for teaching me what it means to be a friend that loves unconditionally.

Teghan Simonton, Mattie Winowitch, Luke Goodling and Tyler Godwin, I miss you each of you dearly. I am so blessed to have your friendship, and I cannot wait to be your cheerleader as each of you continue to accomplish amazing things.

To my mom and Ted, thank you for everything.

Words aren’t big enough to encapsulate how much your encouragement and love has motivated me.

Vinnie Rose, thank you for making ever y bad moment better and every great one sweeter.

Thank you for rooting for me no matter what and being the only one who makes me laugh during life’s toughest moments.

Through everything you do, you make me better.

To the dozens of others who have impacted my journey, I am eternally grateful. *** For those of you who are unaware, I am actually not a journalism major or minor and have done everything with The Yellow Jacket on primarily, a volunteer basis.

I have no intention of entering the career field as a reporter. As a result, many would assume the thousands of hours I put into stressing about, writing for or creating this newspaper a waste.

When I think of the memories, the people and the transformation I’ve undergone, I know it was anything but.

Thank you, each of you, for making this experience one that I will hold dear for the rest of my life.

Gracie out. ***Drops mic.***

NEWS

In the news: Five notable headlines EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a synopsis of a recent topic trending in world or national news.

DYLAN CLELAND RACHEL PELLEGRINO For the Yellow Jacket

TO THE READER In order to provide better coverage in a more timely fashion, The Yellow Jacket focusses on an onlinefirst format. Online coverage for campus, region, Op/Ed and sports can be found on our website, theyellowjacket.org. Due to this change, the print publication has been condensed to eight full-color pages and will be printed on an bi-weekly basis.

ABOUT OP/EDS

Editorials in the left-hand column represent the views of the Yellow Jacket. Letters from readers, columns, cartoons and other elements on the editorial page do not necessarily reflect the position of this newspaper and university.

NEWSPAPER POLICY

The Yellow Jacket is the student-operated newspaper of Waynesburg University funded by student fees and advertisements and is intended for the entire college community. The Yellow Jacket is produced by the student staff on a weekly basis during the academic year.

The office of the Yellow Jacket is located in room 400 of Buhl Hall. It is the right of the Yellow Jacket to print all material deemed newsworthy and gathered in a fair and unconditional manner. No advance copies of stories will be shown, and reporters' notes are considered confidential. No "off the record" information will be accepted.

ADVERTISING POLICY

Anyone wishing to advertise in the Yellow Jacket should email the advertising director at jacketads@waynesburg. edu. Ads must be submitted by the Monday before publication date and not conflict with the university mission.

Copyright © 2018 Waynesburg University 51 W. College St.Waynesburg, Pa. 15370

1. Bloomberg enters Presidential Race Some mig ht say i t’s better late than never, but New York mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Sunday that he is entering the 2020 Presidential Race. The 77-year-old stated in March that he didn’t plan to run for the office in the White House.

A cco rd i n g t o Fo r b e s , Bloomberg is the eighth richest man in the United States with an estimated worth of $53.4 billion, and he plans to self-finance his campaign. He’s entering an already crowded field, currently with 18 Democratic candidates according to the New York Times.

2. Meth bust of $2 million found in Vegas Authorities in the state of Nevada arrested 35-year-old Israel TellezNava of L as Vegas on drug possession charges.

He was pulled over at a stoplight along Interstate 40 when authorities saw bags and bundles of drugs in their line of sight. The vehicle was searched, and police located at least 43 pounds of meth-- equating to more than $1.9 mil-

Tribune News Service

Michael Bloomberg, New York Mayor, announced Sunday that he will be entering the 2020 Presidential Race. lion. Tellez-Nava is being held on charges of transportation and possession of dangerous drugs under the Mohave County Sheriff’s Department.

3. Two children shot in elementary school parking lot Two kids were shot and killed while sitting inside of a van at Searles Elementary School in California early Saturday morning. The kids, ages 11 and 14, were inside of a parked van which is debated by police and school officials whether it was in or near the parking lot of the school. One boy died at the scene while the other boy died en route to the trauma center. The names haven’t been released due to their

age, and no arrests have been made.

4. Monday marked Amazon's biggest shopping day in history This past Cyber Monday, Dec. 2 marked Amazon's biggest shopping day in the company's history.

According to Adobe Analytics, Cyber Monday brought in a total of $9.2 million in sales for the

company. .

5. Google co-founder stepping down as CEO Af ter more than 20 years since the launching of Google, CEO Larry Page and President Sergey Brin are stepping down from their positions at Google's parent company Alphabet (GOOGL).

Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, will take over as CEO of Alphabet.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters to the editor are encouraged as a method to bring issues of concern into the public eye. Letters should be typed, limited to 300 words, signed and include a phone number for confirmation.

Letters may be submitted to 400 Buhl Hall, sent to the Yellow Jacket via campus mail or via email to jacket@waynesburg.edu. Letters may also be sent to Yellow Jacket, 400 Buhl Hall, Waynesburg University, 51 W. College St., Waynesburg, Pa. 15370. All letters must be received by 5 p.m. the Monday of any publication week.

DECEMBER 5, 2019

PAGE A3

Criminal Justice offers opportunities Final preparations look different for each department MADISON STRUNK For the Yellow Jacket

As a senior in college, conversation often turns to plans after graduation. For criminal justice major Alex Paulina, that means moving to Arlington County, Virginia.

“I actually already have a job, which is because of Waynesburg,” Paulina said.

“It’s with Arlington County Police Department. It was my choice, because I had a few jobs lined up, but Arlington just felt like the best choice.”

Throughout his time here at Waynesburg University, Paulina had many opportunities to discover if criminal justice was actually the field he wanted to be in. An internship in Ocean City, Maryland helped him discover that he really did love the field he chose.

“I went down there summer of 2018. I spent the whole summer as a seasonal officer, and it was fun,” he said. “It was a good experience to realize that this is the field I want to be in. For anybody that is thinking about this field, I would recommend it. That internship either tells you, ‘hey, this is what I want to do for the rest of my life,’ or it says, ‘maybe this isn't for me,’ and then you can move onto other things.”

Police depar tments have been struggling to find good employees, according to Adam Jack,

chair for the Criminal Justice and Social Sciences Department. Recruiters, including the Arlington County Police Department, have found many employees from Waynesburg University.

“Part of their issue has been finding qualif ied candidates,” Jack said. “Finding people that are physically fit, mentally astute and can pass background checks. Fortunately, we have a nice program here. We keep a close reign on our students and the Arlington PD have found a nice place to recruit.”

Jack said many of the agencies searching for employees see that Waynesburg University’s criminal justice program is unique.

“All of our faculty members are from the field,” he said “They see that we are teaching these young men and young women what it is really like.”

Waynesburg University has been establishing their relationship with Ocean Ci ty, Mar yland Police Department and Arlington County Police Department for years, but a degree in criminal justice is much more than being an officer.

“Criminal justice is huge and very diverse. You can go into a number of different areas including law school if you really wanted to,” Jack said. “There are a lot of different [opportunities] where you

LACHLAN LOUDON Web Editor

Courtesy of Alex Paulina

Alex Paulina, senior criminal justice major (left), plans to move to Arlington County, Virginia to work with Arlington County Police Department. don’t have to carry a gun and wear a badge.”

“I’d say only 50% of our students become police officers,” Jack said. “The other 50% become counselors, work with victims, Children and Youth Services, corrections, they go all different directions.”

Figuring out the different areas of criminal justice is crucial in a student’s time here at Waynesburg University.

Like in any other field, internships and getting involved in the department itself, help students do just that.

“In CJ, the course loads aren’t bad but there is also a lot of things that you can get involved with outside of the classroom,” Paulina

said. “There are so many opportunities for internships, and you can kind of get lost a little bit trying to search through all of them.”

Waynesburg offers opportunities for students that many other schools would not be able to, according to Paulina.

“The school I transferred from was ‘take these classes and we’ll give you a degree,’” Paulina said. “They didn’t care about internships; they didn’t care about what you were doing six months after graduation.

I truly never would have found Arlington or any of these opportunities if it wasn’t for Waynesburg and their connections.”

Power of club funding up for debate KEATON MOORHEAD For the Yellow Jacket

Student Senate is given $750 to allocate to clubs throughout the semester.

However, this semester, no money was distributed.

Unused funds are put back into the Student Senate’s account to be used toward allocations and other expenses for the next semester. The executive board, including executive vice president, junior and criminal justice major, Holly Ludvigsen, are in charge of the allocation process for the Senate.

“There were two main reasons no clubs asked for money: they were not aware that Senate had money to give, and that a lot of clubs do more in the spring semester, so there was less of a need this semester,” Ludvigsen said. “One organiza-

tion did come ask for funds, but the request did not end up going on to the voting phase.”

Each club was notified via email by Student Senate President Ryan Williams at the beginning of the semester, explaining the process for requesting funds. A club must complete a form and notify the Student Senate prior to a senate meeting in order for the request to be discussed.

“Every president or main representative for each club knew that they could have come to Senate this semester if they needed special allocation money,” Williams said. “We sent an email out to every club representative describing the allocation process.”

Senate is planning to hold a vote to see if they still want to be involved in the alloca-

tion of money to clubs. The Senate has many ideas on how they could utilize this extra money.

“At this time, I am not able to comment on the future of allocations as we have not yet voted on the budget for next semester,” Ludvigsen said. “If we do decide not to do allocations, the money from this semester will go towards doing additional events for the students next semester, and the Provost would handle any allocations.”

The Senate does plan on leaving the allocation process entirely in the hands of the Head Provost. Student Senate, like other organizations, receives their funds from Student Services, including their allocation fund.

“The main reason is that we already do not receive enough in special alloca-

tion money to comfortably give out to clubs,” Williams said. “On top of that, since we do not receive enough in special allocation money, we can use it much more efficiently and effectively in other ways that will improve student life and get students more involved with university activities.”

If the Student Senate votes to no longer handle allocation money, clubs may find it more difficult and time-consuming to go through the provost.

“I would like the Senate to continue allocating funds because I think we are an excellent resource for students to come to,” Ludvigsen said.

“There are factors beyond our control, and there are certainly other things we can do with our funds to help us interact with students and help improve campus.”

Waynesburg University is home to more than 70 academic concentrations.

As finals week is only days away, these various majors each require a different workload from this coming finals season, and thus unique study habits are being put into action.

Sophomore pre-medical major, Andrew Gordon, is a chemistry and anatomy tutor, and has the burden and responsibility of preparing dozens of students for their respective courses, despite covering two different sciences.

“In terms of anatomy tutoring it differs a little bit [from chemistry],” Gordon said. “Typically what I’ll tell [students] to do is actually test-centric, but I want them to prepare ahead of time, because a lot of it is memorization.”

and subtraction problems for their concepts.

“Start early. Stay on track,” Isaac Nice, sophomore accounting major said. “If you start early then you know how well you’re set for finals later … study hard in the first little bit, then you can gauge how much time you actually have later on.”

Nice also explained how business majors have a decent amount of group work, and said working well with peers through projects to study groups is how to “get on the right track.”

Nursing is the largest department among all academic disciplines at the university, as is the workload for most nursing students. Sophomore nursing major Micah Kurka is facing a barrage of tests going into the final weeks of the semester.

“Clinicals, tests, every-

“Start early. Stay on track ... If you start early then you know how well you're set for finals later.”

ISAAC NICE

Sophomore accounting major

Human Anatomy is a biology course, and General Chemistry I is in another separate science department. This course is required for all freshmen chemistry and pre-medical majors, so Gordon must introduce healthy study habits to newcomers.

“Tutoring for chemistry can be different in the regard that it’s not quantitative or qualitative, it’s kind of both,” Gordon said.

“There are concepts you need to know, there are equations you need to memorize and math problems you need to solve.

But you also need to know the purpose behind those equations and the purpose behind the big picture in all the concepts you’re studying.”

Moving over to the Business Administration Department, business students have their fair share of mathematics required for their studies. However, unlike chemistry’s stoichiometry conversions and enthalpy equations, business majors have to calculate simple ratios, addition

thing, you name it … every single day,” Kurka said. “So, for Monday until Thursday, it’ll be a test every single day, maybe even two; but, this week is kind of my preparatory week.”

Kurka said sophomore year thrusted significant amounts of information his way about different diseases and topics of critical thinking in nursing.

Sophomore nursing major Allegra Ochs emphasizes the importance of taking good notes as studying will become easier with the information already at hand.

“A lot of my nursing peers make quizlets often because our finals are cumulative and they’re pretty tough,” Ochs said.

“I wouldn’t say the information is difficult, it’s just a lot, and it can be overwhelming. I have five finals next week, so I’m taking them one day at a time so I don’t get overwhelmed.”

Finals may only be days away, but the studying has been an ongoing process for students, and the hard work of the entire semester is yet to be paid off.

Psychology major’s artwork showcased in student gallery MADISON STRUNK The Yellow Jacket

Monday, Nov. 25 at 6 p.m., the Fine Arts Department hosted the opening night of their student art show. Students from every art class got to see their work displayed in the gallery located in the Fine Arts Center.

“The student art show is a culmination of the semester, it’s a collection of work from all of the art classes that are offered each semester,” said Andrew Heisey, chairperson for the Fine Arts Department and associate professor of art. “So, we have a little bit of sculpture, there is ceramics, there is drawings, it’s the best of each class that we offer.”

The students have been working on these pieces since the beginning of the semester and this art show is what they have been waiting for all semester long, according to Lily Portman, a sophomore fine arts major.

“The professors require that we put a piece in the

art show, and it is nice to show off what you have been working on all semester,” Portman said.

Since each studio class requires that you enter a piece for the art show, there is a large variety of art that is displayed.

It ranges anywhere from jewelry making to sculptures.

“I am in jewelry and metal working and also sculpture,” Portman said.

“I [had] to enter items for both, so I have three for metal working and one, possibly two, for sculpture.”

Even though the classes do not typically change from semester to semester, the students do.

The work is always going to vary for these student art shows.

“It’s neat to see the diversity, that even though we offer the same classes every semester, the show is always different,” Heisey said. “The students change, and you never know what the students are going to put together.”

Students might not get

Rachel Pellegrino, The Yellow Jacket

The Fine Arts Department hosts exhibit from Nov. 25 to Dec. 6 to showcase students’ artwork from the semester. Featured above is sophomore psychology major, Hannah Abbott, holding one of her pieces in the art show. a chance to put their work in the gallery for space purposes, but the professors do try to get the best examples from every class in the show, according to Heisey.

“Not everybody gets something in it, but I try,” Heisey said. “And part of that is because when you

are in a studio class your work is on a dirty, clay covered table, if you’re in a drawing class your work is in a sketchbook, when you put a piece in the gallery it changes. Now, it’s no longer a drawing in a sketchbook, it’s matted and it’s hanging on the wall. If it’s a ceramic it’s no longer on

a dirty clay-covered table, now it’s on an art stand and it’s with other work.

It just looks different and for the students it changes the work.”

A r t i s i m p o r t a nt t o many people, but for art students, it is even more significant.

Waynesburg gives these

students a chance to find new forms of art that they love to make.

“Art is really important to me because it’s like an outlet for my creativity and the Waynesburg Fine Arts department allows me to try art that I wouldn’t have the chance to try out and learn otherwise,” Portman said. “We have a lot of unique classes, like metal working.

Before taking it, I would’ve never tried that and now I know it’s really something that I love to do.”

The art show opened Nov. 25 and will run until Friday, Dec. 6.

While most of the art shows run for four weeks, these only runs for two because it is at the end of the semester.

“Art is supposed to be something that is seen, and you make it to be seen and when you put it in a different environment it becomes grand,” Heisey said. “It’s now a nicer piece and it helps them see that their work actually has value.”

PAGE 4

DECEMBER 5, 2019

Sisters study in South Korea through exchange program RACHEL PELLEGRINO Op/Ed Editor

Erynne Kubat, junior sociology major, and Elena Kubat, junior history major, knew exactly where they wanted to study abroad since their freshman year of college.

They both are fascinated with the culture and history of the country and wanted to travel somewhere that wasn’t a common study abroad destination for Americans, Elena Kubat said.

So, they chose South Korea.

“I had become really fascinated with the Korean culture, because it was becoming more well known around the world,” Erynne Kubat said. “I also wanted to be different, because I feel like most people want to study abroad in Europe, and not Asia.”

They have been studying in Korea since the beginning of this semester at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea, through Waynesburg University’s exchange program with the university.

The Kubat sisters first discovered Waynesburg had an exchange program with Ewha Womans University when they were applying to the school, and it played a leading role in why they came to Waynesburg. “ I’ve always wanted to travel with my sisters. So,

Liz, Erynne, and I were planning on studying abroad together since we were freshmen,” Elena Kubat said.

Although only two of the three triplets were able to travel together, Liz Kubat was able to visit them while they were in Korea.

The Kubat sisters have learned a lot through this experience, both in and out of the classroom.

Erynne Kubat is taking an Infant Developmental Psychology class, a Korean language class, a global social problems class and Literary Aesthetics in Contemporary South Korea.

Elena Kubat is taking East Asian History and Civilization, Introduction to Korean Culture, Introduction to Asian Art History, Shakespeare and Practical Korean for Beginners.

Despite taking multiple classes for college credit, the majority of what the Kubat sisters have learned about Korean culture has been outside of the classroom.

“There is a contemporary culture that you can’t learn from being in a classroom. Being surrounded constantly by people who speak an entirely different language is truly a rare thing to experience,” Elena Kubat said. “But culture is so much more than a language, it’s the music people listen to, the entertainment

SINGING WITH SANTA

industry, the clothes people wear, the food they eat and the actions of people in their everyday lives.”

One of the main takeaways for both sisters is how similar South Korea is to the United States.

“I didn’t realize just how similar it could be before I came here,” Elena Kubat said.

Even though this experience has been educational and enjoyable for both Kubat sisters, they have experienced a few challenges along the way.

“It was a bit hard getting used to how things work here. It hasn’t been too challenging but I experienced using public transportation for the first time. Getting used to some smaller things like the food and etiquette rules [has also been challenging],” Erynne Kubat said.

Elena Kubat’s struggles took a different path.

“I’d have to say [the most challenging part of this trip] would be my medical condition, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, acting up again,” Elena Kubat said. “It was a challenge to have to go to a hospital that is in a foreign country and see a doctor who doesn’t even speak my language. It was hard to not have my parents around to help me through my struggles.”

Even though there have been challenges, the Kubat

Faith, service and learning opportunities do not come to a halt when students leave Waynesburg University’s campus for winter break. Two service trips will be offered this January, before spring semester classes begin, to provide students a unique opportunity to serve communities overseas. The first, a trip to Bonaire, affiliated with the Department of Communication. The other will be a trip to the Bahamas, which is affiliated with the Education Department.

“It’s a great opportunity for students to utilize what they are learning in and out of the classroom,” said Kelley Hardie, assistant dean of Student Services.

Students attending the trip to Bonaire will receive the opportunity to work with Trans World Radio, one of the world’s largest evan-

The Symphonic Band and L amplig hters Concer t Choir have been rehearsing the festive music since as far back as Halloween.

DePriest noticed a trend wi thin her reper toire for the band. The Star of Bethlehem was a recurring theme in her selected music.

“I started listening to what I think are maybe not the most used Christmas carols and the most sung and played in the season,” DePriest said. “Pretty soon I noticed I had a theme going of the star. All the band pieces have the word ‘star’ in them.”

Saturday’s concert will feature the choir and band each performing their sep-

arate seasonal repertoires, until coming together at the end to perform “A Symphony of Carols” arranged by Randol Alan Bass.

The choir will be introducing a lesser known story of the birth of Christ with “Midwife’s Tale” by living composer James Woodman.

“It’s a really big story to tell [the birth of Christ],” Catana said. “It’s been told so many times with very similar songs … I want to find something that’s never been heard before.”

Catana pulled together a choir of five men and 23 women for this semester of concert choir. She commended the men for being able to carry the tenor and bass sections along with

the women who help keep balance, despite having the men outnumbered.

“Singing is a very intimate thing. Your instrument is actually inside your body.

It’s you. It’s your breath creating sound, creating a beautiful noise, carrying a message,” Catana said. “It’s a pretty amazing phenomenon.”

To join in on the seasonal music festivities, Tuba Christmas will be at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night in the GPAC. The choir and band will be performing the Music Program Christmas Concert in Roberts Chapel on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. where the story of the birth of Christ will be told through music.

All participants in the tournament received a wristband to continue to spread the word of Barton’s story, and the winners of the basketball game earned free T-shirts for their victory.

Working all semester to fundraise for the treatment of Barton’s cancer was very impactful to each of the group members, said Piecknick.

“Helping someone that

is our age going through something this severe is very beneficial, because we can help a little bit with costs,” Piecknick said.

The event was a result of hard work among all group members as they worked to benefit a local community member in need.

“Our group has a bunch of fun guys with big hearts,” Piecknick said. “It was great that we were able to help Barton in his battle

with Ewing Sarcoma.”

After raising over $1,500 for Barton’s treatment and seeing great participation from the community, Trax deemed the event a success.

“It was very fulfilling for our group,” Trax said.

“We were very happy that everything worked and we were able to have this event. It felt good that we were able to help out Barton.”

Andrew Hreha, The Yellow Jacket

Tuesday night, several Waynesburg University students gathered at Roberts Chapel for the annual Christmas tree lighting. They enjoyed hot chocolate, sang Christmas songs and even got a visit from Santa Claus.

music instructor, will lead the choir, and DePriest will lead the Symphonic Band.

“I just can’t imag ine Christmas without music,” Catana said. “It plays such a big part to get you in the mood. When you hear a familiar tune, it brings back memories. When you get older, it’s really special to go back to memories and think about Christmas in the past and carry on traditions.”

While the countdown to Christmas continues, hearing Christmas music is almost inevitable.

Cancer Continued from A1 ments,” he said.

During the event Sunday, the group raised $1,518 for Barton’s Ewing Sarcoma treatment.

The bake sale fundraiser featured items including small baked goods, drinks, wristbands and shirts.

sisters have each other to help overcome these struggles and are grateful for studying abroad together.

“I think things are more fun when you have an amazing person to share them with,” Erynne Kubat said.

“My sister and I are super close and have dreamed of traveling together, and sharing my experience in a foreign country with her has been incredible.”

They have also made many friends, who either live in South Korea or are

gelical media organizations.

“Students really get to see that what they are learning is valuable,” said Chad Sherman, associate professor of communication and faculty administrator of the trip.

Sherman has attended the trip for the past seven consecutive years. He has also led several other service trips offered by the school such as the Habitat for Humanity service trip. Many of these are centered around physical labor. Sherman said he has learned that service can come in many shapes and sizes.

“Service can be really oriented to what you are learning,” Sherman said. “Physical labor doesn’t have to be the standard.”

Service is no one-way street. Students tend to reap just as much of an impact as the communities they are serving.

“I hope that a student who goes on the trip in re-

EMMA HERRLE

Continued from A1

Erynne and Elena Kubat, two of three triplet sisters, wished to study in South Korea.

Now they are living that dream at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea. also international students.

One way they were able to do this was through an English Bible Study group they both joined.

“I am involved in an English Bible study club called Third Base with Erynne and Korean women that I can now call friends … [The women in the group] have helped me and Erynne learn more of the language and introduced us to different Korean foods and places in Seoul as well,” Elena Kubat said. “It’s also really wonder-

ful to be with other Christians that are from another country. I even got to sit in on a sermon and worship in Korean with an English translation, and it was humbling to be reminded that God doesn’t just speak one language and how Jesus came to earth for all people.”

The Kubat sisters will return to Waynesburg University next semester to continue their educational journey and share what they’ve learned from their experiences abroad.

Students to serve on trips over break Social Media Manager

Music

Photo courtesy of Erynne and Elena Kubat

spect for service gets a passion for it. Once someone serves, they learn to love it and want to do it again,” Sherman said.

Serving across cultures also provides insight for students.

“Students are taking learning experiences and ideas and bringing them back here. They get to see first-hand what another culture looks like,” said Kylee Sargent, associate director of Client Services and faculty administrator of the trip to the Bahamas.

Students attending the trip to the Bahamas volunteer at the E.P. Roberts Primary School in Nassau, Bahamas. They create lesson plans and work alongside teachers in the classroom.

Sargent said students really benefit from learning styles of teaching from a different culture. For example, students are not typically taught to raise their hands,

Career Continued from A1 that determines what you should do for the rest of your life,” Bell said. “It’s just to give you suggestions and point you in a direction.”

Focus 2 Career has already been utilized by some students on campus and a few faculty members are even assigning the assessments in their classes.

In addition to utilizing the assessments for students who request career counseling, Chaley Knight, Waynesburg University counselor, also uses it in the career and life planning course she teaches.

“Students have been able to identify how specific skills they have can show up in a variety of different majors,” Knight said. “Students have gained clarity and direction through the use of this program, but more importantly I believe they have been given confirmation that their gifts and abilities matter.”

Knight said that, although the assessments can give great insight into possible vocation and career options, students should go over the results of the assessments

and there is no separation of church and state within school systems in the Bahamas.

“It’s so cool to watch them grow and learn and see what ideas they can bring back,” Sargent said. “Faith and spirituality are really knit into their culture. It is cool for our teachers to see that, although it is a poorer culture, it brings a richness to their culture that we don’t always get here.”

This will be Sargent’s third year attending the trip to the Bahamas.

Both of these trips are located in tropical climates, so students receive a unique getaway from western Pennsylvania’s frigid January temperatures.

Thanks to the university’s partnerships overseas and the service trips they offer, students fly home with lasting memories, field experience and cross-cultural relationships.

with a counselor to get the most from the program.

“This program is a ‘tool.’

It can help students access their innate gifts, abilities, and values, but the program alone will only help a student so much,” Knight said.

Bell said faculty advisors can greatly benefit their students through the program, especially if a student is feeling out of place in the major they chose. Through the assessments, they can continue to search for their vocation, which should be something they enjoy.

“A vocation is not just a career, it’s something that you’re passionate about, that you are willing to live out each day,” Bell said. “Something that you really want to do, not just something that you’re good at.”

Students were sent the access code for the university network on the program to their school emails in November.

Bell hopes the number of students on campus who use the program will continue to increase. Eventually, she said, the university may extend the assessments to community members, such as high school students. For now, though, they are focussed on providing the service to students and alumni.

region SECTION B

DECEMBER 5, 2019 | WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY | THEYELLOWJACKET.ORG

DRUG DISORDER, BY THE NUMBERS Research addresses saturation of epidemic in state counties EDWARD BOICE Region Editor

The news and stories of the drug epidemic across the United States have relayed the disruption of many families and communities.

Statistics, such as more than 130 U.S. citizens die every day from opioid overdose according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, have shown those affected, the thousands across the country and hundreds in counties and towns.

While articles and statistics about drug overdoses have been published and discussed, some may not know the statistics of drug use in their own county.

In September 2019, the Pennsylvania Department of Health released a graphic titled, “Annual Estimated Unique Individuals with Drug Use Disorder,” in each of the 67 counties, plus the city of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, based on statistics from 2017. Using U.S. census data from the 2017 American Community Survey

3.48%

3.39%

3RD

In the Pittsburgh area, Allegheny County is ranked second in population, second in drug use disorder estimates and ninth in disorder/ population percentage, with 3.17%. Westmoreland County ranked high in all three categories: 11th in population, fifth in disorder estimates and fifth in disorder/population percentage.

The lowest ranking disorder/population percentage counties in Pennsylvania are Cameron, Fulton, Sullivan and Forest counties. They each had less than 11 estimated people with the disorder, so the health department did not include the specific numbers for privacy, said the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Philadelphia ranked first in population and disorder estimates while ranking sixth in disorder/population percentage, with 3.35%. Lawrence County, which is ranked 33rd in population and 23rd in disorder estimates, ranks first in disorder/population percentage, with 4.19%.

DRUGS >> B2

The percentages are created by dividing each county's population with the estimateed number of individuals with drug use disorder.

Population numbers are from the 2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Drug use disorder estimates are from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

FAYETTE

WESTMORELAND

5TH

five-year estimates, a percentage of the concentration of people with the disorder were derived from the disorder estimates and the county’s population.

To see how saturated a county is with people with drug use disorder, each county was ranked for its population, estimated number of individuals with drug use disorder and the percentage of people with a disorder in each county’s population.

Looking at the tri-state area, Greene County placed lower compared to the rest of the state’s counties: 58th in population, 50th in drug use disorder estimate and 38th with a disorder/ population percentage of 1.7%. Washington County ranked in the middle overall in population and disorder estimates, but ranked low in disorder/population percentage at 49th, with 1.2%. Fayette County ranked toward the middle in population and disorder estimates, except in drug/population percentage, in which they are ranked third, with 3.48%.

3.17%

Graphic by Grace Hutchison and Edward Boice

1.2% WASHINGTON

49TH

ALLEGHENY

1.7% GREENE

38TH

9TH

PERCENTAGE OF DRUG DISORDER ESTIMATES IN POPULATION WITH COUNTY RANKINGS

County PHC4 finds childhood cancer high in county reveals 2020 budget “Approximately 1-in-285 TIFFANY MORGAN For The Yellow Jacket

JOE SMELTZER Sports Web Editor

The 2019 General Fund Budget is not finalized yet, as it has not been signed

by Chairman Blair Zimmerman or commissioners Dave Coder and Archie Trader.

Additionally, the budget also needs to be attested to by Chief Clerk Jeff Marshall.

C u r re nt ly, h oweve r, t h e p ro p o s ed ge n e ra l fund budget for Greene County in 2020 is nearly $20 million, up more than $700,000 from the 2019 budget.

More than $7 million in expenditures has been paid to children and youth, compared to $863,000 from a year ago.

In addition, this year’s budget includes an impact fee of more than $6 million.

The total county budget is $42,949,222.78, which is up more than $14 million from last year.

In 2018, the total budget was $28,870,113.

One change that the county is making as it enters the new decade, explained Chief Financial Officer Scott Kelley, is getting rid of the department of weights and measures.

“The county has been doing weights and measures itself, and basically BUDGET >> B2

Joe Martin, executive director of the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, said geographic data often shows higher childhood cancer numbers in the urban centers, but with Greene County, there has been an shockingly high number compared with their population Martin said it was “eyeopening” in the Greene County area, due to the small population of 37,338, according to the 2017 American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates.

There have been 55 hospitalizations in the county,

according to last month’s PHC4 2019 report, and Martin said the numbers are alarming.

“It’s surprising we would see those kinds of numbers in a rural county,” Martin said.

Martin’s role is to strictly focus on the numbers, as well as point out specific variations on data, but nothing further.

The agency's information goes to county health officials and state officials for them to take the information and numbers to improve the situation.

The PHC4, an independent state agency, gives physicians a broader set of numbers, to help decrease the cancer numbers and

give them a clearer way to see the issue at-hand.

Martin said with smaller counties, like Greene, the numbers can be easily in-

ganization, in the United States, 15,780 children between the ages of birth and 19-years-old are diagnosed with cancer.

children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer before their 20th birthday.”

AMERICAN CHILDHOOD CANCER ORGANIZATION fluenced by the statistics.

“In more rural counties, small numbers can play a factor,” Martin said.

According to the American Childhood Cancer Or-

In addition to those statistics, their website also states that “approximately 1-in-285 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer before their 20th

birthday.”

The PHC4 2019 report also reveals that Greene County has had the highest rate in Pennsylvania for three consecutive years.

According to an article from The Herald Standard, Martin said releasing information now “helps raise awareness on how Pennsylvania children are affected by cancer. Examining cancer-related issues is always sobering, but particularly for this age group.”

To take action, it is important to raise awareness by showing statistics to find out how to prevent the rise in childhood cancer in the region.

REAL ID regulations to be enforced next year HOLLY HENDERSHOT Executive Editor

This year’s holiday travels may not be different compared to past years for most people, but next year could be an entirely different Christmas story.

The REAL ID Act, passed by the U.S. congress back in 2005, has an enforcement deadline of Oct. 1, 2020, which is approaching.

According to the requirements of the act, any person wishing to board a commercial aircraft must obtain a REAL ID compliant card or possess an acceptable alternative, like a passport, according to Homeland Security.

People without the new ID cannot enter into a federal facility or mili-

tary base that requires proof of identification and nuclear power plants. A REAL ID compliant card is most commonly obtained through a new license that has a star marking on it, to signify its official status.

As of September, 2019, all 50 states are compliant with the REAL ID requirement and are all required to start issuing the REAL ID by the enforcement deadline. Because attaining a REAL ID can be accomplished locally, the hope is that information about the necessity of the REAL ID for air travel will be widespread enoug h that there will be minimal issues when the act is enacted next year.

However, the new secuREAL >> B2

Courtesy of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

The federal governement is mandating states to enforce the use of REAL IDs by Oct. 1, 2020. The new ID will allow citizens to fly on commercial aircraft, enter ID requiring federal or military bases and nuclear power plants. The act was first passed by the U.S. Congress in 2005.

DECEMBER 5, 2019

PAGE B2

Christmas events connect Waynesburg community TIFFANY MORGAN For The Yellow Jacket

The town of Waynesburg is preparing for the holidays, as local businesses decorate and participate in community festivities.

The annual Light-Up Night and Holiday Open House will follow the Buy Local Buy Greene Holiday Challenge. Both events are organized by Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful with EQT Corporation sponsoring the Light-Up Night.

The goal of the Buy Local Buy Greene Holiday Challenge is to h a v e

Drugs Continued from B1 The department of health used mor tali ty weights from the Center for Disease Control’s Na-

people shop primarily with local retailers from Nov.1Dec. 6.

When shopping at local shops, the goal is to secure stamps from at least 12 of 19 local businesses.

There are over 10 participating businesses including 5 Kidz Kandy, Classy Cuts and Morgan’s Treasures.

Kristy Vliet, owner of 5 Kidz Kandy, has been marketing to their audience on their Facebook page, as well as posting f lyers about the holiday challenge.

5 Kidz Kandy, located on 78 E High Street, participates in the light up night each y e a r , and

to apply weights to each county to estimate the number of people in the county with drug use disorder,” said the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Due to limitations in the survey, the estimates are lower than what the data shows, explained the department. Not all types

of drugs, such as fentanyl, were included, and not all populations were surveyed.

“Instead, we chose to use the estimate of illicit drug use to illustrate the

number of people with any substance use disorder, not including alcohol,” the Department of Health said. “We believe this statistic more accurately represents the epidemic in Pennsylvania.”

A person with more than one drug addiction was not counted twice, as indicated by the word “unique” in the dataset’s title.

“An individual could have multiple healthcare claims or cases of a disorder, but we only wanted to estimate the number of people living with the disorder,” the department said.

To view a complete chart on the rankings of these statistics, visit The Yellow Jacket website.

Look at the “Annual Estimated Unique Individuals with Drug Use Disorder” dataset at https://data. pa.gov/stories/s/9q45nckt. For assistance in finding a drug use disorder treatment provider, call Pennsylvania’s opioid epidemic hotline at 1-800662-HELP.

“Traditionally, the county has had two democrats and one republican, but that has flipped this time, and we’re going to have two republican commissioners. Then one of our democratic commissioners from the current term also won, and he will be the third commissioner for the next four years.”

Althoug h Kelley said he cannot speak for the new commissioners, he believes there might be some cuts taking place in the future. “ W hen two commissioners get in, I think they will reopen the budget and take a good look at that and maybe do some cutting on that budget,” Kelley said.

Kelley did not sugarcoat the problems Greene County’s budget is facing, particularly its deficit.

“I think moving forward, we have some challenges,” he said. “We have a deficit right now. We’re using Act 13, which is the impact fee money to help balance

that budget.”

Once this budget is approved, Kelley said, it will be up to the new commissioners, Belding and McClure, to figure out what the next steps should be.

“I’m kind of under the impression they will want to use that money differently and use it for development purposes,” Kelley said. “So I would expect that we’re going to do some real looking at the budget and see where things can be cut for next year and their entire term.”

The proposed 2020 Greene County General Fund Budget will be available for public comment until Dec. 19.

The budget is planned on passing that day during the regularly scheduled commissioners meeting if no complications or objections arise.

For any questions about the budget, contact Scott Kelley at 724-852-5296 or Jeff Marshall at 724-8525210.

“Instead, we chose to use the estimate of illicit drug use to illustrate the number of people with any substance use disorder, not including alcohol.

We believe this statistic more accurately represents the epidemic in Pennsylvania.”

PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH tional Center for Health Statistics and drug use estimates from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

“The mortality statistics for each county are used

Budget Continued from B1 the fields you see at the gas stations. So, if you’re buying a gallon of gas you always know you’re buying a gallon of gas,” Kelley said.

“That has been a function performed by the county in the past, but we were one of the few counties left that do it ourselves.”

One of the biggest challenges with the new budget will be that, for the first time since Kelley can remember, there will be two republican commissioners.

Red is the color for both Betsy Rohanna McClure and Mike Belding.

Usually, both parties are represented, so Kelley does not know how drastic of a change this will cause.

“I don’t know when the last time that we had two republican commissioners at the county,” Kelley said.

Vliet said it gets everyone in the “holiday spirit.”

“I really like our Light-Up Night, it has a really great feel to it,” V liet said. “It’s like an old-fashioned Christmas.”

There are several events in the reg ion that V liet said her business will be at tending, including some craft shows. With the season approaching and 500 pounds of chocolate in the store, there are lots of goodies that will be made and ready for the season at 5 Kidz Kandy.

Something Vliet said she was really looking forward to is the Holiday Open House, in which the Greene County Historical Society Museum hosted an ugly Christmas sweater contest.

A challenge of the L i g ht -U p N i g ht and Holiday Open House is organizing volunteers serving as the Light-Up Night committee under the nonprofit organization Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful.

Joanne Marshall serves as the chairperson of the committee.

Marshall said the holidays in Greene County

Photos by Edward Boice

At top, Waynesburg is hosting the Waynesburg Prosperous & Beautiful Buy Local Buy Greene Holiday Challenge and Light-Up Night to celebrate Christmas. At left, Kristy Vliet, owner of Five Kidz Kandy, shows off the store's Christmas decorations serve as a time of joy to bring the community together.

“The downtown merchants and businesses, Waynesburg Boroug h, the County of Greene, Waynesburg University and several other organizations pull together an

REAL Continued from B1 rity requirements will pose a problem for anyone who does not attain one in time for their travels after the enforcement deadline.

“After Oct. 1, 2020, individuals who are unable to verify their identity will not be permitted to enter the Transportation Security Association airport checkpoint and will not be allowed to fly,” said Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Spokesperson Craig Yetter. “You’ll need your passport for international travel, and you can use your passport to verify your identity at the TSA checkpoint instead of a REAL ID-compliant state-issued driver’s license. If you plan to present your state driver’s license to verify your identity at the TSA checkpoint, that card must be REAL ID compliant.”

event that brings tradition and nostalgia,” Marshall said.

Marshall said it takes approximately 35-50 volunteers for a community event to happen, with volunteers that Marshall credits to the Waynesburg University cross-country team, the campus Red Brick Firm and Waynesburg-Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company.

The annual Light-Up Night will be Friday, Dec. 6, from 5-8 p.m., with the Tree Lighting Ceremony at 6 p.m.

The winners of the Holi-

d a y Challenge will be announced at the Light-Up Night.

Marshall also serves as the tourism director and said in preparation for the events going on in Greene County.

She is in a posi tion to cultivate “togetherness” within the region of Greene County.

“We are in a small community, and it’s a feelgood opportunity to work with our community, bring in this tradition,” Marshall said. “And [we’re trying to] create that family-friendly environment in the community.”

In order to attain a REAL ID, a person must provide proof of identity, such as a Certified Birth Certificate or U.S. Passport, their Social Security card, legal documentation of any name changes and two proofs of physical address, according to PennDOT. DMV staff must verify the documents and attain images of them.

Due to these requirements, the REAL ID will provide better identification and travel security, fulfilling the purpose of the act.

“There are also electronic verification checks that must take place prior to the issuance of a REAL ID,” Yetter said. “With all of the verifications and imaging of documents, what the REAL ID is essentially trying to accomplish is that, when using your driver’s license or identification card for federal purposes, your identity has been validated and verified.”

As of this month, PennDOT has issued

529,814 REAL ID-compliant licenses and ID cards since they began to do so in March, according to PennDOT. It is estimated that a total of 1.3 million more people will attain the REAL ID prior to the deadline.

REAL ID-compliant licenses are not required in Pennsylvania.

So, those who are not planning to travel by plane any time in the next few years can choose not to get one.

“PennDOT has deployed a comprehensive media campaign to ensure customers can make an informed decision,” Yetter said. “We encourage customers interested in obtaining a REAL ID to visit our website, make sure they have the needed documents and apply, sooner rather than later, to obtain their REAL ID.” For more information and to pre-verify online, visit the PennDOT web page dedicated to answering questions about the REAL ID.

Graphic by Edward Boice

sports PAGE B3

DECEMBER 5, 2019 | WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY | THEYELLOWJACKET.ORG

basketball changes defensive approach Jackets

head to Messiah tourney Wrestling goes to invitational COLIN MCLAUGHLIN For The Yellow Jacket

Paul Zalakar, For the Yellow Jacket

Seniors Sam Heeter (front), Frank Bozicevic (middle) and Cam Auld (back) employ the 'Pack Line' defense against Fredonia on Nov. 19.

Men’s basketball adopts ‘Pack Line Defense’ style of play in 2019 season JOE SMELTZER

For the Yellow Jackets

There aren’t many college basketball programs that have matched the University of Virginia's success over the past decade.

Four ACC regular season titles, two conference tournament championships and, most importantly, a 2019 national championship win have turned the Cavaliers into a national powerhouse.

One of the key reasons for Virginia's success has been its defense.

The specific defense that UVA coach Tony Bennett’s team operates under is the “Pack Line.”

At Waynesburg University, first-year head coach Tim Fusina has implemented the same concept.

Fusina brought the Pack Line to Greene County after using it during his two seasons as head coach of California Lutheran. Before that, Fusina said every school he assisted at used variation of a halfcourt man-to-man defense.

“It was a way too try to limit rhythm shots for our opponent from the pe-

rimeter,” Fusina said. “We wanted to shorten our angles to close out, shorten our space to close out and really put a premium on contesting shots and blocking out and keeping the ball out of the paint.”

Waynesburg switched to the Pack Line after running a more traditional man-toman defense under former head coach Mark Christner.

In the Pack Line, all five defenders are watching the ball. Aside from the player guarding the ball, everybody must be inside an imaginary line that’s located 16 feet from the rim.

To represent that line Fusina said, there is a dot on the floor at the old gymnasium inside the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.

“The only person outside of that is the guy guarding the ball,” Fusina said.

“There’s some bad habits that we’ve had to break because guys have been told, or maybe they haven’t been told, and they’ve gone and just denied [passes] all the way out there. And they weren’t cognisant of positioning. Now they are.”

Like every strategy, however, there are possi-

ble drawbacks to the Pack Line. One of the drawbacks, Fusina said, could come when the Jackets run into an offense that is fluent in screening away from the ball.

“Sometimes screens that are off the ball can be a problem because you’re not really in the Pack Line at that point when there’s a screen,” he said. “Also, if you're seeing a team that wants to attack the paint, I think it could be a little bit more trouble if they have

scout team offense throws at Waynesburg in practice will be different from what the Jackets see from opposing teams during games. For Fusina, this could be problematic for the offense.

“I don’t know how many teams we’re going to see employ this during the year, but the way we defend is so, we try to shrink the floor, and it's kind of difficult to play against that in practice because of our spacing,” he said. “We’re a

“It'll help our team just with our length, and once we learn it I think we'll be fine.”

BRENNAN SMITH

Senior Guard , Waynesburg Basketball

two or three guys that can drive from the perimeter, because you’re constantly going to have to help on the ball and recover.”

Of the teams Waynsburg will play this season, few, if any, will be running the Pack Line. Although this makes Waynesburg unique on the defensive end, on the other side, what the

team offensively that wants to have great spacing. We want to be high and wide.

When you're only denying to that area on the floor that we tape down, you kind of creep in. So it messes up our spacing.”

So far, the Pack Line has produced mixed results. Through six games, the Jackets had given up

77.6 points a night, which ranked sixth out of the nine teams in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.

Both Fusina and senior Brennan Smith agree that the biggest challenge for Waynesburg on the defensive end is communication.

“When we speak, we’re very good,” Fusina said. “It’s those times when we don’t speak where we give up points it seems. Probably the other area is jumping to the ball, and making sure we’re in posting especially on the help side.”

“If you talk on defense,” Smith said, “anybody can play defense. Our communication and probably just our spacing, on the floor, playing in gaps. Looking for help side, stuff like that.”

Although Waynesburg’s season hasn’t gone according to plan, as Waynesburg was 0-6 heading into conference play, Smith is optimistic that once the Jackets click, the Pack Line can be effective.

“It’ll help our team just with our length, and once we learn it I think we’ll be fine,” he said. “It’s just the change of figuring all that out right now.”

Women's basketball shifts focus to league play ADAM MORGANTE For The Yellow Jacket

It’s uncertain what the weather is going to be on Saturday when the Waynesburg University women’s basketball team travels to Pittsburgh to take on the Chatham Cougars.

One thing that’s likely, however, is that it will be raining threes inside Chatham’s Athletics and Fitness Center.

“They are one of the top three-point shooting teams in the country right now,” Waynesburg coach Sam Jones said. “We’ll have to guard the three-point line well for sure, to make them work hard for baskets.”

As of Wednesday morning, Chatham was 5-0, and a big reason why is because the Cougars are tied for 26th in the country in Division III for three pointers made.

However, Jones thinks

Hugh O'Neil, For the Yellow Jacket

The Jackets will look to defend the three-point shot of Chatham when the two teams meet at noon this Saturday in Pittsburgh. that his offense has an advantage that can help the Jackets [1-4] score.

“We can take advantage of our size and get the ball inside and work it around a little bit,” Jones said. “I think

we can get to the rim a little bit, and then either kick that out for a good shot or just get some points out of it.”

Last season Waynesburg split it’s season series with Chatham.

In the game Waynesburg won, Jones remembers Waynesburg outplaying the Cougars down low.

“I think all three of our post players had really good nights,” Jones said. “I

know Andrea [Orlosky] had a double double, Brooke had a double double. We got the ball inside well.”

For senior guard Erin Joyce, a key to getting an important conference win is to build on what the Jackets do well.

“I think that we have to take what we did well last year and translate that into games this year and stay focused,” Joyce said.

Another key, Joyce said, will be to keep Chatham from getting the shot opportunities that the Cougars thrive on.

“We have to be more focused on defense and getting out to their shooters and finding them in transition,” Joyce said.

“We have to find their shooters, and we also have to be able to move when the ball moves so we can get out and close out and get a DEFENSE >> B4

While everyone else is studying for finals, the Waynesburg wrestling team is preparing for the Messiah Petrofes Invitational.

The Invitational will take place Dec. 6 -7 in Mechanicsburg.

The team got back to practice Monday following the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

“We are getting back today they got off last week,” coach Ron Headlee said.

“They were able to relax and spend some time with their families for Thanksgiving, but now it is time to get back to it.”

This is the first competition for the Waynesburg grapplers after Thanksgiving.

Just like everyone else, weight gain is an issue during Thanksgiving, but for wrestlers, if they gain too much weight then they can’t compete.

“Sometimes weights are something we are concerned about,” Headlee said. “We have done in the past, it's a good time to renew themselves, refresh and get back into action.”

According to the Messiah College athletic website, there will be 19 teams competing this weekend, and some come from the same region as the Yellow Jackets.

Headlee has made it known to his team that their focus needs to be on regional competition, because of the seeding implications it may have on the future tournaments.

“There are some good teams there so we are just looking for us to get better,” Headlee said. “We aren’t always looking for first place in each class but we want to compete. We always want to do better than the last time, especially against the regional guys to get better seeding.”

The biggest struggle for the team, Headlee said, is the loss of junior Caleb Baxter to injury.

“You never expect injuries, so having Caleb out has hurt” Headlee said.

However, the nine freshmen have made a very good impression so far on Headlee.

A lot of them, particularly Caleb Morris, have had a lot of experience in matches due to their performances.

“The freshmen class is farther along than we thought they would be,” Headlee said. “They have been very impressive as the season goes along.”

The team still has three months until the Presidents’ Athletic Conference championships and the regional tournament.

So, there’s still a lot of time for Headlee to see how the team will be whenever it goes for a fourth straight PAC championship. “[Finishing] top six at this tournament would be good for us and then [we hope to] win the next tournament in New York,” Headlee said.

“Then coming back and be top four in our tournament then get better in our dual meets [is our goal].”

PAGE B4

DECEMBER 5, 2019

Men’s basketball moves into PAC play after winless start JOE SMELTZER Sports Web Editor

Hall of Fame football coach Bill Parcells once said, “You are what your record says you are.”

Whether or not that’s a universal truth of sports is up for debate. For Waynesburg University men’s basketball coach Tim Fusina, however, this accurately sums up how the 2019-20 season has gone thus far.

Coming into its Presidents’ Athletic Conference opener at Grove City, the Jackets were 0-6, with all six losses coming by double digits. “[We are a] team that is still trying to figure out how we want to play, and trying to put 40 minutes together on both ends,” Fusina said.

“We’ll have some stretches where we look pretty good offensively and then stretches where we don’t. We have stretches where we play decently defensively and then stretches where we don’t.

We’re a team trying to put 40 minutes together is what I see, and we haven’t been able to do that yet.”

Waynesburg will have another chance to put a com-

Paul Zalakar, For the Yellow Jacket

Senior Brennan Smith drives for a layup Nov. 19 against Fredonia. Smith leads the Jackets in scoring this season. plete game together in Pittsburgh this Saturday. It will be a tall task, however, trying to take down the defending PAC tournament champions, the Chatham Cougars.

Decisive losses for Waynesburg In some cases, an 0-6 record could be deceiving. Unfortunately for Waynesburg, there haven’t been any “ones that got away” so far.

“The scores are the scores,” Fusina said. “At points we are competitive, at points we are not. So [are they] indicative of how [the season has] gone? Yeah, it’s indicative of how it’s gone.”

Life without Popeck Waynesburg’s leading scorer, Matt Popeck, has been injured for Waynesburg’s last four games. The junior from Washington,

PA was second in the PAC in scoring last season, and without him, Waynesburg has struggled on both sides of the ball.

“He’s our leader,” Fusina said. “He guards the ball.

He can make an open shot from the perimeter, and if you look at our percentages, we struggle to do that. We struggle to do both.”

Bozicevic said this was a

Brothers develop bond on, off the court CALEB YAUGER

For the Yellow Jacket

For many people, sports are embedded into their lives. Many families have one or multiple sports that run through their household. And this season, on the Waynesburg University men’s basketball team, the idea of family is magnified with two different pairs of brothers on the roster.

Frank and Mark Bozicevic, and Brennan and Sean Smith will play one season together as Frank and Brennan are seniors, Mark is a sophomore, and Sean is a freshman.

Each set of brothers has a unique journey in their years playing the game of basketball. From the time they were young, to high school, to now playing at the collegiate level at Waynesburg University. Although the details of their stories differ, the general theme of basketball, has always been a part of their lives.

“Ever since high school,” Frank said, “it’s been playing in the driveway, or in free time, just going to play basketball.”

“It’s been a part of our whole lives,” Brennan said while explaining that his father was a high school basketball coach for years who also impacted their lives.

Frank and Mark played in high school for two years together, and developed a great sense of chemistry on the court.

However, when it was time for Frank to move on, playing at the collegiate level was a dream that he wanted to keep alive. Former head coach Mark Christner, as Frank explained, was a huge reason why he came to Waynesburg.

“Basketball, I would say, is the main reason it brought me to Waynesburg,” Frank said.

As a senior, Frank has worked his way to becoming a starter for the Jackets.

His younger brother, Mark, decided to sit out his freshman year. Once his senior year of high school ended, deciding where to go and what to do was a struggle

Defense Continued from B3 hand in their face to make it a more difficult shot.”

Joyce is the only senior on

year Popeck emphasized being a leader, and now, he’ll have to lead from the bench and not the court.

“I really feel for him, because I know he wants to be out there,” Bozicevic said.

Tipoff is at 2 p.m.

Uneasy is the head that wears the crown Chatham has only had a basketball program since 2015, but last season, the

OPINION

Experiences in sports reporting teachable for all ANTONIO PELULLO Columnist

Photo Courtesy of Frank Bozicevic

The Bozicevic brothers, Mark (left) and Frank (right) are playing together for the first time this year since their days at Gateway High School in Monroeville, PA. for Mark.

“Once basketball was coming to an end,” Mark explained, “and I realized how good of a senior season I had, I didn’t want to give it up.”

Although he decided not to play basketball in his first year of college, he could not stay away from the game.

The chance to play with his brother again, matched with his pure love for the game were two key factors for Mark coming back to play on the court.

“I already knew the team, so it was easy to fit in with them.” Mark said.

Ever since Mark has returned, he and Frank have had the chance to play together once again. Through playing one-on-one, shooting, or talking about basketball, the Bozicevic brothers keep improving their skills on the court through their relationship.

“Playing with Frank,” Mark said, “we’ll go at each other in practice, I find myself guarding him a lot.”

“We get into arguments a decent amount, just about how I think I’m tougher on him.” Frank added. “We want the best for each other.”

Unlike the Bozicevic brothers, Brennan and Sean Smith never played together in high school, which means this season is particularly special. This is the first time the Smith brothers have played on the same team

the team, and realizes she needs to lead by example.

“I’ve noticed that I need to stay calm and collective.

That way everyone else can see ‘ok she’s calm and collective,’” Joyce said. “If I’m vocal it helps other people know what is going on and be vocal themselves.”

Photo Courtesy of Brennan Smith

The Smith brothers, Sean (left) and Brennan (right) are playing together for the first time ever this season. together.

“The biggest reason that I came here was the opportunity to play with him because we’ve never had the opportunity,” Sean said. “We wanted to come here together.”

Before this basketball season, however, the Smith brothers had gone through difficult circumstances in order to get to where they are now.

Brennan missed the entire 2017-18 season do to a severe knee injury. During that time, Sean said that Brennan came home to recover. They lifted, worked out and shot in order help Brennan recover from his injury, which was a time of growth in their relationship.

“I think we got closer in that year,” Sean said.

Not long after, Sean tore his MCL during his sopho-

more year of high school, and the roles were reversed, with Brennan helping Sean in the recovery process.

Due to Brennan’s injury, this year, he has to stay an extra semester in order to graduate and play basketball.

Brennan is glad he stuck around for the extra semester, and said he’s finally having the chance to play next to his brother.

As seniors, Frank and Brennan have learned to step up as leaders for the younger players on and off the court, and strive to be an example to their younger brothers, who they hope will succeed them one day.

“I think Mark’s my closest friend,” Frank said, “even as him being my brother, I’d say he’s the closest person in my life.”

If Waynesburg is able to defeat Chatham, Jones thinks it will provide the team with a lot of confidence moving forward.

“Anytime you get a conference win it’s a great thing,” she said. “A conference win on the road is another level of difficulty.

It will just prove that we can win a conference game on the road against a quality opponent and hopefully that will springboard us forward.”

The Jackets will look to collect their fifth consecutive road victory against Chatham. Tip-off at noon.

C o u g a r s s t u n n ed t h e PAC,beating regular season champion St. Vincent in the tournament final.

Although Waynesburg fell in the first round of the PAC tournament, the Yellow Jackets beat Chatham in Pittsburgh, and perhaps should have beat the Cougars in Greene County, but let a double-digit halftime lead slip away.

The Cougars lost seven seniors from that championship squad, including leading scorer Isiah Brown.

Although the roster has changed, the Cougars are still prolific offensively, leading the PAC in scoring at more than 79 points per game complimented by a 5-2 record coming into Wednesday.

“They’re still a run-andgun, put up a lot of threes and make a lot of threes kind of team,” Jacket guard Frank Bozicivec said. “ [They rely on] a lot of guard play.”

Both of Chatham’s losses have come by a combined 14 points.

Chatham has five players averaging double figures in scoring, led by Will Sandheer [17.6 PPG] and Brandon Lavernia [12.4 PPG].

It’s no secret on this campus that outside of a few teams there isn’t a lot of athletic success.

Often I ’ll hear from one person or another... “if only the Yellow Jacket gave [insert sport] good coverage,” or “I don’t understand why the Jacket doesn’t write good stories about [sports teams].”

Well this is the defense case of the Waynesburg University newspaper, The Yellow Jacket.

First off, without question every writer, broadcaster and communication student I know roots for Waynesburg athletics.

In fact, I know if anything, we’d rather see overachievement and exceed expectations, and, frankly, prove our predictors wrong.

Now let me tell you a secret from the fourth floor of Buhl Hall.

It’s better for us when teams on campus are good because it makes us look good too.

A story about a winning team makes any writer look good, including myself.

It would be amazing to write a story about five consecutive President Athletic Conference titles for every sport.

It doesn’t matter if the winning team is interesting or boring, they won and that will help increase our readership.

We want as many people picking up newspapers and recording broadcasts on VCRs, or screenshotting and screen recording, in either case, a successful athletic program will help.

We want to be a part of your legacy and your history in victory, not a failure.

Division III athletics don’t come with glitz and glamour, and it’s a lot of hard work with little to no monetary value.

Through my time here, I remember writing about football players going to classes after break-

ing their nose two days earlier. I’ve experienced what those road trips to Thomas More, which is six hours away, are like, and I’ve talked to baseball players about going to Florida....maybe not that last one, but again you get the point.

We do not want to see failure. Could our personal motives be considered selfish? Yes. So I don’t want to let anyone think we’re trying to fool anyone.

Now before I go, let me clean up. I’m not calling out any specific athletic program.

In my four years at Waynesburg, I have only had one situation where I had problems with an athlete or coach.

I’m not trying to go after anyone in athletics, in large part every coach on campus has provided the Yellow Jacket with amazing access to their teams.

In fact I’m calling out p eo p l e w h o re a d t h e sports section but don’t play a sport and expect us to write sunshine and rainbows all the time.

To quote Rocky Balboa.

“It's a very mean and nasty place, and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.”

Friday Dec. 6, my high school Cheltenham will be playing in the PIA A Class 5A football championship for the first time ever.

When I attended the school, we only made the playoffs one time.

I will 100 percent be streaming the game and rooting for them to win against a traditional powerhouse in Archbishop Carroll.

With that, let me share one final secret.

If you’re one, like myself at this university or with an organization that’s covered a team on a weekly basis, we still love to see them win long after we’ve left and no longer covering that team.

So, as I leave Waynesburg this fall, I hope to see every team on campus win five PAC titles from this moment forward.