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Candlelight vigil commemorates timeless crusade
By ASHLEY PETERSON

Friday, January 22, marked the 26th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that made abortion legal in all 50 states.  At the time, it was considered to be an outrageous statement.  For the younger generations today, abortion is something that has always existed.  Many of us take for granted the many women who died before abortion was made legal.
As the sun set on the VWC campus, women and men lit candles and came together around the John Wesley statue to listen to the empowering voices of pro-choice activists.
“I urge you to take a stand today and uphold a woman’s right to choose,” said Connie Hannah, a member of the Hampton Roads National Organization for Women (NOW).  “Do it for yourself, your daughters, granddaughters, mothers and friends.”
Although the intent of this candlelight vigil was to commemorate a significant day in history for abortion rights, it also served another purpose, keeping that right.
“It will only be a matter of time before our abortion rights here in Virginia are restricted,” said Lisa Persikoff, the executive director of Planned Parenthood.  “Never have we been closer to losing abortion than we are right now.”
The Virginia General Assembly is currently threatening the accessibility of legal abortion with two House bills.  Bill 749, the most important of the two, has already been passed by the House of Representatives.  If also passed by the Senate, the bill would greatly reduce access to abortion in Virginia.  Clinics would have to meet the same physical standards as outpatient           hospitals, thus many would be forced to shut down.
House Bill 2108 would enforce a mandatory 24 hour waiting period before women are allowed to have an abortion.  These bills would impact the most vulnerable of women, the young and the poor.
Among the speakers at the vigil was  NOW activist Mary Franci.  Franci read poetry about abortion clinic violence and the Teen Endangerment Law in Virginia, which requires parental consent for underage girls to get an abortion.
Not only women spoke at the vigil.  Ernie Bing, the chapter development coordinator of NOW, shared his knowledge and personal testimony of abortion with the crowd.  Bing grew up in a family with prominent, strong women.  He remembers when abortion was illegal and how many women died as a result.
Bing’s mother had been raped at age 13, and his grandmother attempted at least three times to perform an abortion on the kitchen table.  This event scarred both Bing and his mother for life.
Bing learned that silence is the enemy.  “When we take it for granted, it is allowed to continue,” he said.
Junior Meghan Fisher also spoke briefly at the ceremony.  Fisher is the leader of a NOW task force on campus.
“We started the group a couple months ago with the help of Sharon Payne, because we realized that there is nothing like it on campus,” she said.  “We’re trying to increase our numbers.”
“It is really important that women who are feminists organize and become very verbal in what they believe,” said Hannah.  “Young feminists are the pipeline.  Unless we channel, celebrate and encourage our interest, we waste it.”
If you are interested in preventing these bills from going into effect, contact Louise Lucas, Fred Quayle or Stanley Walker, the area’s representatives on the Senate Health Committee.  If you would like to voice your opinion on the issue, call the Virginia General Assembly public comment line at 1-800-889-0229.

The format of Virginia Wesleyan’s  annual Scholarship Competition weekend has been refined this year to better fit the needs of potential students.  Rather than a set schedule of events for the prospective Wesleyan scholar, the admissions staff is sponsoring a more flexible competition.
“We want it to be worthwhile for the student and our office,” said Steve Bruce, associate dean of admissions.
In the past, the scholarship competition was a weekend event where high school seniors interviewed with a professor and student and took a writing test.  They were also invited to stay overnight in the dorms with a host, attend classes and a campus-wide event.
Students would compete for scholarships in three categories: the Academic Dean Scholarship, from $1,000 to $6,000 per year; the Presidential Scholarship, $7,000 per year; and the Wesleyan Scholars program, from $7,000 to full tuition.
In opposition to former years, the only requirement to receive a Presidential or Academic Dean scholarship is the application process.  This year only students who have scored 1150 or above on the SAT, have a grade point average of 3.5 or higher and are competing for the Wesleyan Scholar position are exclusively invited to this event.
“These are the brightest students,” said Beth Hodges, an admissions counselor.  “They are a more elite group.”
Hodges feels this change makes it more of an honor to come to Virginia Wesleyan as a select opportunity to be interviewed by professors.
“We’re stressing more of the academic side of our institution,” said Hodges.  “We’re hoping to lure stronger students.”
These students will also have the chance to sit in on a class and tour the campus.  Bruce believes fewer students involved yields a much more worthwhile experience.
“We want to let them get to know the college,” said Bruce.  “And we want to get to know them.”
This improved version of the scholarship competition is a departure from how it was conducted in the past, with a more personal side and a great deal of individualized attention.  Bruce explained that as the old program progressed, fewer and fewer students could attend the scheduled dates, therefore excluding students who were eligible.
The competition will be held on four separate days: February 5, 10, 15 and 20, in order to allow the student more adaptability to their own schedules.  Bruce feels this is ultimately a win-win situation for all.
“They have an opportunity to do what they want,” said Bruce.  “We want to commit to them so they will commit to us.”
The deadline for students submitting applications for the Wesleyan Scholarship was January 15, and for those applying for other awards the deadline is March 15.  Forty students have applied for the Wesleyan Scholarship.
Ultimately the rationale behind this change of events is to bring back the prestige of the prominent Wesleyan Scholar Award.  The College is placing the importance on the scholarship itself and allowing the student to become further involved in the selection process.
“It’s a never ending learning process,” said Bruce.
Virginia Wesleyan students have mixed opinions about the new format of the competition.
“I liked that all the students were invited to come down and participate in campus life,” said sophomore Wesleyan scholar Carrie Michaud.  “Even if they didn’t receive a scholarship, they gained something valuable from the experience.  This way there is no real incentive for students who aren’t in contention for a Wesleyan scholarship to come visit the school.”
Senior Presidential scholar John Hellein also opposes the changes in this year’s competition.
“I got a good sense of campus community,” said Hellein.  “It’s not just an event, it’s also the people and meeting and talking to them.  I do better with one-on-one interviews than on paper.”
The past competitions have disrupted the lives and schedules of VWC students hosting scholarship applicants.   The weekend required students to serve as hosts, interviews and tour guides.  The strain of having an additional 200 bodies on campus required extra effort on behalf of the food service staff, professors, security and maintenance.
The stress was also felt by the potential students participating in the event.
“They expected us to take a placement test early in the morning, but it’s kind of hard when the night before was spent partying,” said sophomore Clayton Mercurio.