6 April 2001

Fashion from around the world invades VWC

BY DIANA PRIEST

Fashion and Culture From Around the World invaded VWC courtesy of The Office of International Programs (OIP), Campus Kaleidoscope, and the International Awareness Council (IAC). The groups joined forces to bring International Week to a close for the semester. The program showcased items from 22 different countries, a fashion show, ethnic music and dancing. The costumes and cultural items were provided by students and faculty members. Members of the IAC sat at the exhibit table in front of the dining hall to watch over the cultural items. “It’s very interesting to look at all the different objects from different countries. It’s also fun talking to people as they walk by,” said Junior Emily McLaughlin. “It’s very educational.” The table was covered with tablecloths, some white, some blue; and purple and white balloons lined the table in four or five bunches. The T-shaped runway was set up at the back of the dining center, surrounded by chairs on three sides. There was also a DJ set up on the side of the dining center. The clothing featured was traditional attire from European and Middle Eastern countries such as: Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, Mexico, Germany, the Philippines and many others. The models were VWC students and faculty, and family members of students and faculty.

Information from the official CIA website, on population, government, location, and religious groups represented was provided. Dr. Mavel Velasco, a Spanish professor here at VWC, was one of the models in the fashion show. She was not nervous at all, having done this sort of thing many times, in many different countries.

“I wanted the students to see the variety and beauty from around the world and to see that there is more than one way to dress,” Velasco said. “I think I was having more fun than being scared,” said Eli Vallejo, an international student from Mexico. The fashion shows in the past have been coordinated by the OIP, but this year Campus Kaleidoscope and IAC got involved. Kelly Jackson, advisor for Campus Kaleidoscope, said that the idea to get involved with the OIP for the fashion show came from Susan Yancey: “It was really a team effort,” Jackson said. Patrick Murphrey, the representative from the OIP, and advisor of the International Student Organization (ISO), helped coordinate the event. “I think it’s going to be an excellent show with amazing costumes,” Murphrey said before the show. “I think it’s going to be the one event that exemplifies International Week.” The items and clothing featured in the event came from students, Kaleidoscope members, IAC members, and faculty. “I’m hoping that it’s going to spark international awareness so that people will want to get to know the international students on campus and come and find out about study abroad programs,” Murphrey said. Jennifer Nowlin, director of the OIP, also played a big role in coordinating the fashion show.

Nowlin said the purpose of the show was “to celebrate the creativity found in other countries. It is an event that allows people to appreciate the creativity found in other countries.” “It was better than I expected it to be, surprisingly better,” Nowlin said. “The crowd was larger than I expected it would be.” The show went better than expected and it was a wonderful opportunity for students and faculty to learn about other cultures and countries. “I think that it is wonderful for clubs to be partnering together like this,” said Jackson. “Any one organization could not have pulled this off.”

Who knows you better

BY Shelly Miller

Where peers battle to find out who knows them better, their significant others or their best friends.

“This in no way means anything but weight,” said Tom Braca when he answered with “Size” as the one physical thing he would change on himself. A perfect date on Friday Oct. 13 was the beginning for Matt Winnick and Rae Mooney; but being the first contestants eliminated Wednesday night in Tri-Sigma’s “Who Knows Who Better?” certainly was not the end. The event questioned four VWC students with their best friends and significant others to see who knew who better. The contestants: Matt Winnick with girlfriend Rae Mooney and friend Paige Morton, Gayla Dalrymple-Smith with boyfriend Josh Hill and friend Jaclyn Bailey, Heather Segraves with boyfriend Chuck Brown and friend Jordana Woodruff, and Tom Braca with girlfriend Katy Roth and friend Mike Weatherly, who went on to win.

The judges: Keith Moore, Director of residence life, Ryan Brown Assistant Director of residence life and wife Eileen Brown, and Matt Whalen, who is the husband of Kristen Whalen, another Assistant Director of residence life. “We’re all married, I think we have a good idea of how to judge relationships,” Whalen said. Though off to a late start, waiting for the audience to trickle in, the event was successful and revealing. The questions covered favorite colors and body parts, sense of style, fear, most prized possessions, emotional reactions to cheating situations and of course most embarrassing moments. “This in no way means anything but weight,” Braca said when he answered with “Size” as the one physical thing he would change on himself. The beach was a popular place for sunrises and sunsets. It was not well known as to who prefers which. About half got this one wrong. When asked if the contestants would be tempted if they were participants on the show “Temptation Island,” the answer was unanimous. “Would not be tempted,” said everyone. Points for all! Seagraves was the only forgiving one. When asked what they would do if they caught their significant other in a drunken passionate kiss the rest said they would break up. “I would take time and think about it,” said Seagraves. The team eliminated first took it in stride. “Rae and I know him better than he knows himself,” said Morton of Winnick. Winnick agreed. “I didn’t even know the answers myself,” he said. What he did know was that he had a crush on Mooney and finally acted on it. “He left a note on my door,” she said. “And other people told me about him.” All smiles, the couple went on to describe their Friday the 13th date. “We had Dinner at Olive Garden and took a walk on Chicks Beach,” Winnick said. Though the couples first date was on Friday the 13th it seems the only doom they have experienced was being eliminated Wednesday night. With another Friday the 13th coming up it will be interesting to see what the couple has in store. As for the other couples, Braca and Roth took the first place prize for a $30 gift certificate to Half Shell restaurant located on Shore Drive. The final six people, Seagraves, Brown, Woodruff, Weatherly along with Braca and Roth, received movie passes for Military Circle Mall, all contests received flowers donated from Blooming-Dale’s Florist and Gift Shop in Great Bridge. “I thought that the contestants did a good job,” said Sigma Sigma Sigma sister Kim Schone. “I hope to see a better turn out next year. I think that since this was the first time that we sponsored this event and there is always room for improvement. I look forward to next year.

Students are tested on sexual knowledge

By Jennifer Green

Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, transgender, it doesn’t matter what sexual orientation you prefer because you will most likely encounter many different people, with many different sexual orientations, throughout your life. This was the main focus of many Virginia Wesleyan students, Wednesday, March 21st as they played Sexual Jeopardy in the Village 2 Commons. Sexual Jeopardy? Is that tactfully possible? When put on by Scott E. King, Director of International Students and Scholar Services at Old Dominion, it is very possible. Scott King has had an active part in the Norfolk gay community since 1991. He was a founding member of the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered faculty group at ODU, as well as the faculty advisor to the campus GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered) student organization.King has created a game show called sexual jeopardy that he started in 1997 at ODU, which in relation to the actual jeopardy is quite similar. Of course the subject matter is a little off the original course, homosexuality “I needed something inventive to liven up the students, so I created sexual jeopardy.” says King. This is how the Wesleyan students played the game Wednesday night. There were three teams consisting of three contestants each. They competed as if they were playing the actual game, most rules applying. The only difference was that points were not deducted if answered incorrectly. However they still had to answer in the form of a question, and choose particular wages from their designated category. The questions were clever, ranging in difficulty. One question that was the hardest and yet most obvious was from the category The Real Meanings of Disparaging Terms; “An edible part of a plant or tree, consisting of the seeds and pulpy surrounding tissue.” The answer: What is a fruit? Did you get it right, $100 for you? But as the money value increased, the questions grew even harder. And oddly enough the final jeopardy question was actually simple; Matthew Sheppard was murdered in this U.S. state in October 1998. The Answer: Wyoming. “I can’t believe I thought it happened in Michigan,” says sophomore Jennifer Weston, a contestant, but not one of the winners of the night. “I still had a great time though, and I would definitely do this again, but win next time!”

Campus Kaliedoscope and Residence Life sponsored Sexual Jeopardy. Refreshments were provided, making the atmosphere all the more inviting.

When asked if King has any plans of returning to Wesleyan with his game show, he replies, “From the looks of tonight, I would say most definitely!