WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 Year 99, Issue No. Blank
THE TRUMPET
VOL. 100 – ISSUE 1 The student voices of West Liberty University
The Student Voice of the Hilltop
President Greiner Farewell to West Liberty pg. 4
Goodbye Old Trumpet, Hello to the Future! pg. 8
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WEST LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
THE TRUMPET
NEWS
COVER BY: MORGAN KAFANA
CULTURE
President Greiner Farewell pg. 4
SPORTS
Mental Health during COVID-19 pg. 5
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New West Liberty Volleyball Coach pg. 7
THE TRUMPET
The Student Voice on the Hilltop
The Trumpet’s mission is to provide WLU students of all majors an opportunity to learn how to gather and present news information to the campus community, and to serve the WLU community with fair and accurate reporting on matters of significance and interest.
EDITORIAL STAFF
Editor-in-Chief Annalise Murphy Online Editor Creed Kidney Culture Editor Intern Hanna Perry Sport Editor Anna Johnston Graphic Designer Morgan Kafana Digital Media Editor Morgan McFadden Video Editor Intern Lauryn Fridley Faculty Adviser Danielle Mehlman-Brightwell
Letters to the Editor
To submit a letter to the editor, please email anmurphy@westliberty.edu. Please put your name, address, phone number, email address. If the editor decides to publish it, she will contact you to conform your identity.
Contact Us
Wltrumpet@westliberty.edu (304) 336-8873
NEWS
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
NEWS
Editor-in-Chief: Annalise Murphy
PAGE 3
- anmurphy@westliberty.edu
West Liberty reopens presidential search after one of two finalists withdraws West Liberty University reopens its search for a new president after Dr. Robert Colvin made the decision to withdraw from the running concluding his visit to campus, according to Rich Lucas, chairman of WLU’s Board of Governors and 2020 search committee. West Liberty’s Director of Media Relations, Maureen Zambito, informed students, staff, and faculty through a press release last Thursday that the presidential search was being reopened at the national level upon Dr. Robert Colvin withdrawing prior to a scheduled meeting with the Board of Governors on Aug. 26. “Dr. Colvin came to campus, and I will quote him, was very impressed with our campus, our curriculum and our financial position. So, he met with faculty, staff, student government, board of governors, and the search committee. After visiting campus, he had some personal reasons and decisions with his family and decided to withdraw from the candidacy,” Lucas said. This decision to withdraw left one candidate, Dr. Brian Crawford, who is currently the Provost at West Liberty. Lucas explained that, “since the field of candidates basically thinned itself out without interaction from the search committee, we decided to continue the search with a new national search.”
Although a new search is being reopened, the search committee from the last search has remained the same and they are working on a timeline with tentative dates that will be released to the public soon. With a new search comes a whole new multi-step process to find new finalists for the job. According to Lucas, the Board of Governors is accepting and will continue to accept applications for the next 30 day period. “We review actual resumes, application, and application letters that each candidate sends. We are able to bring the field down in size by simply reviewing the initial applications that the candidates send in,” said Lucas. After the narrowing is complete from the application review process, Zoom meetings will be set up where the search committee will be able to narrow the field further. “There will likely be two sets of interviews via Zoom or remote before we would bring the finalists to campus,” according to Lucas.
(Photo Credits: Media Relations) Rich Lucas, West Liberty University Board of Governors and 2020 Search committee
until November 26. Dr. Greiner announced his retirement in November of 2019, and since has had to postpone it due to COVID-19 and now due to the search being reopened.
Finding a new president for West Liberty is something that the Search Committee takes very seriously. Lucas said that all of the diligence, effort and continued work through these processes are to ensure that “we get the right candidate.”
“We really appreciate him staying on. We do not have to seek an interim president, and if Dr. Greiner would have decided not to stay we would have. With him staying, we really appreciate the continuity, the stability, and the knowledge he brings through this process,” Lucas said.
West Liberty’s current President, Dr. Stephen Greiner has agreed to postpone his retirement for the second time and will stay on as president
As of Sept. 14, 2020, Zambito confirmed via email that, “West Liberty University’s search for a president continues and will advance in the process when
the Search Committee meets on Sept. 30. At this mostly-virtual meeting, the committee will review all applications vetted by the Department of Human Resources to decide on which applicants advance to the next step, which will be Zoom interviews. After the Zoom interviews and further vetting, the final candidate names will be announced. Stay tuned as we plan to have the candidates visit campus in Oct.” For more information, please visit https://westliberty.edu/news/ or contact Maureen Zambito at 304-336-8203 or by email at maureen.zambito@westliberty. edu.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
PAGE 4
NEWS
President Greiner wishes West Liberty Farewell as he prepares for November retirement extended his retirement for the second time and will be at the university until November 26th. First, COVID-19 had caused During the past five years him to extend his retirement of his presidential term, Dr. Steand then once again now due phen Greiner has definitely had a to the university reopening the positive impact on West Liberty presidential search. Everyone is University. thankful that he has decided to once again extend his retirement, Although he will be retiring in November, in a exclusive and continue to brighten West Liberty with his positive personinterview, he had a lot to share ality! on how being the president of the university has had various efGreiner said, “The biggest fects on his career path and who difference that I saw after behe has become as a person. coming the president here was Greiner said, “The best decision of my career was becoming a part of West Liberty University.” Believe it or not, he almost considered not applying to be the president of West Liberty. He said, “I was the president of the University of Kentucky and originally I wasn’t considering becoming the president of another university until my sister gave me a phone call to tell me that the presidential seat at West Liberty University was opening up.” Even still, he didn’t apply for the position until a few hours before the deadline was due. The Hilltop certainly would have been much different if he hadn’t! Currently, Dr. Greiner has
that students seemed to care more about each other. These students are the friendliest and most respectful students that I have ever encountered.”
Greiner becoming the president of the university has made a huge impact not only on the university itself, but also on the lives of many students. Here is some advice he wanted to share with both present and past students, “Irrational optimism is the key to success. Always be optimistic and plan big. Always stay positive.” Stay positive, work hard, and don’t give up -- even on the bad days when nothing is going right. In the end, all of the hard work will pay off when you have reached your big life goals!
(Photo Credits: Media Relations) Dr. Stephen Greiner, President of West Liberty University
Some plans that Greiner has when he retires includes moving to a house in North Carolina, where he will be “spending lots of time at the beach.” He also shared that he plans on traveling more, “because there are a lot of places in the world that I still haven’t seen yet.” He concluded by saying, “I hope that I get to come back and visit the university in the future. I will continue to follow the university for years to come because there are so many wonderful things ahead for West Liberty University.”
President Greiner will be greatly missed by both the faculty and students of West Liberty University; however, the legacy that he is leaving behind will never be forgotten. “I am going to miss the students the most because getting the chance to interact with them has been my favorite part of being the president of West Liberty University,” President Griener said. For more information, please contact Maureen Zambito at maureen.zambito@westliberty. edu.
CULTURE
CULTURE SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
PAGE 5
Culture Editor: Hanna Perry - heperry@westliberty.edu
Difficulties of navigating mental health struggles during COVID-19, and what to do next March 14, 2020. A date, in retrospect, that will forever live in infamy. To the student, it meant no school for a few weeks, because of some pesky virus that had been floating around the globe; mostly in China, right? To the parent, it meant finding childcare alternatives; but wait, those were closing down too. Maybe they were lucky enough to have an older child, someone who could watch the younger ones or take care of themselves well enough to warrant some kind of mental security. Perhaps a family member, a neighbor? Hopefully they wouldn’t be too afraid to come outside. To the citizen, it meant nothing; a hiccup that we were so unfortunate to observe in the well-oiled machine that was modern day society.
and milestones like graduation, weddings, birthdays, and commencements were thrown to the wind. We did as best as we could to make up for these losses, but they have since only continued to happen.
No mindless trips to the store, no participation in the daily groove of getting ready for school, no coming home after a long day – because all our days, growing longer and longer and longer each passing night, are spent entirely there. Home.
And how does this make us feel? Depressed might be too soft a word, but it illustrates well enough a common note of sadness that has been felt between each and every one of us.
It is hard. It is difficult, and it is terrifying, but you must do all you can to bring your mind to better places, fill it with brighter things and warmer feelings. Because eventually the real walls of our room, with their paint speckles counted a thousand times over, become simply too gray. So, open a window, let the sunshine and breezes in; take a walk out into the world, dare I say, take off your mask (when it’s appropriate, of course) and take a deep breath in.
Humans are so much more than mere creatures of social habit and standing, they are beings with dreams and drives, desires and passions, habits and rituals; and yes, while it is sad that we cannot see each other’s smiles and smirks and frowns and gather together unencumbered by fear of aerosols, it is even more sad that, for some, there is now nothing to look forward to.
Here in West Virginia, we are lucky enough to have a surplus of beauty and nature; go take advantage of the woods you’ve never explored, the trail you’ve never hiked,
Do what you love. Sing like no one’s listening, dance like no one’s watching, and treat yourself to your pleasures. It is now more important than ever to learn to be alone with yourself and reflect joyfully on what great company you are. We will get through this, and so will you. Even if it takes us all the way to March 365, we can rest assured knowing that we did it all while taking care of ourselves, and thereby taking care of others; but most importantly, taking care of our minds. Because a mind – is a terrible thing to lose (Colleen Leddy); and so too, are the brilliant, wonderful, spectacular and fantastic people that come along with them. If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental
How far away do those fleeting feelings now feel.
health, please reach out to West Liberty’s on campus councelor,
For it is now March 201, 2020, and if that day 187 days ago was a mere hiccup then it can safely be said that our world has now died from suffocation. Education was squandered, jobs were lost, thousands perished,
or the creek you’ve never swam in. Bathe yourself in the natural in these exceedingly unnatural times.
Lisa Witzberger at lwitzburger@ westliberty.edu. To contact her by phone call 304.336.8215. Her office is located on the second Photo Credit: Google Images, Under Creative Commons License (Mental Health With Covid-19)
floor of the student union, room S14.
CULTURE
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
PAGE 6
West Liberty participates in National Campus Safety Awareness Month with more saftey precautions for students topics to engage the campus community in a proactive way right at the beginning of the academic term.
Each year, the month of September brings awareness to campus safety throughout the country. National Campus Safety Awareness Month gives the public the opportunity to talk about the prevention of violence and sexual assault, as well as bringing about discussion about mental health. It is also a time to share information about a universities’ campus safety programs. West Liberty University was voted the safest campus in West Virginia in 2020, according to niche.com. The rankings are based on key statistics and student reviews using data from the U.S. Department of Education. West Liberty University is the top school in the state that offers a safe and healthy environment for little or no campus crime, drugs, or alcohol usage. The university takes a lot of pride in being at the top of safety and there are a lot of factors that come into play when considering how safe a campus is. West Liberty University takes the opportunity to highlight mandated training programs that are offered to students, faculty, and staff such as ALICE training or suicide and sexual assault prevention programs. These trainings are offered through the First Year Experience course given to freshman and transfer students. The university focuses on these
Campus Safety Awareness Month is also the time where the campus safety committee meets to discuss potential changes to improve safety. Within the last three years, West Liberty has added automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to all residence halls and academic buildings, as well as portable AEDs with campus police and athletics. The university has also increased student engagement, with the recently added “DRIFT” program run by Greek Life. The program offers a free ride for students on Thursday nights from the Gary E. West Center, in order to prevent them from walking home late at night or a drunk driving incident. Campus Police have also increased their engagement with the community and students. Campus Police now patrols the entire town of West Liberty rather than just patrolling the campus. They also are on duty 24/7/365 to ensure the safety of the community. “Campus safety is extremely important to WLU and in our role in the community! One of the first things we hit on during orientation for a new student is the safety at West Liberty, and part of that is successful because everyone from students to faculty to staff know they are a part of a family that keeps each other safe,” said safety committee member and Title IX coordinator Kate Billings.
(Photo Credit: Annalise Muphy, Editor-in-Chief)
Billings also went on to say that WLU has a safety committee, CIRT (Critical Incident Response Team), Campus Police, BIT (Behavioral Intervention Team), and other professionals who working continuously to keep the campus safe and addressing possible issues that may arise in the future, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The university is also in charge of publishing an annual security report every October to
discuss resources and other important changes to campus for the safety of the university. All social media platforms are also used to get safety messages out to students and parents. WLU also has an emergency text messaging system that alerts students about different safety issues relevant to campus. Additional information on safety for members of the community can be found on the homepage at westliberty.edu.
SPORTS SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
SPORTS
Sports Editor: Anna Johnston
PAGE 7
- acjohnston@westliberty.edu
Former assistant coach, Riley Schenk, returns to Hilltop as head volleyball coach At the start of this month, Riley Schenk was introduced as the new Head Coach for West Liberty’s successful volleyball squad. The team was in need of a new coach after Kayla Mull stepped down over summer to spend more time with family Shenk takes the reigns as Head Coach of the volleyball team after a successful couple of seasons where she helped
(Photo Credits: Media Relations)
hilltop coaching these amazing
WLU Volleyball does not end
“made a tremendous impression on
team,” Schenk said to Hilltopper-
with Schenk. The Lady Toppers
all of us during her two years as a
sports.
achieved a cumulative team GPA
graduate assistant… [we] strongly
of 3.77 in Spring 2020 and seven
believe that Riley [Schenk] is the
members of the squad managed a
right person at the right time to
perfect 4.0 despite the disruptions
take our program where we want
caused by the global Covid-19
to go.”
“The people at West Liberty truly make the university feel like
Graduate Assistant Coach.
home and it’s an honor to be cho-
in February to pursue a head
sen as their head coach.” Schenk enjoyed an impressive
coaching job at NCAA Division
collegiate playing career at NCAA
III school, Penn State-Behrend in
Division III Mount Union University
Erie, Pennsylvania.
in Alliance, Ohio where she was the
However, the lure of the Hilltop was too much and Shenk returned several months later as the new Head Coach of West LIberty’s Volleyball team. “I am incredibly excited and deeply appreciative to have the opportunity to be back on the
pointment of Schenk saying she
young women on our volleyball
the team gain 41 wins as Mull’s Schenk left West Liberty back
The academic prowess of
recipient of many athletic awards and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sport Business. Schenk went on to complete a Master’s degree, here at West Liberty in Education and Sports Leadership while serving as the Volleyball Graduate Assistant Coach.
pandemic.
Schenk and the volleyball team,
“West Liberty University is
along with all other regular fall
known for its strong commitment
sports, will have to wait a little
to athletic and academic success,”
longer to see athletic action this
Schenk said. “Coach Mull provided
academic year.
a strong base for our program in both areas and I want to build on that foundation. As you can tell, I’m extremely passionate about our program, our sport and our university. I can’t wait to get started!” Lynn Ullom, WLU’s Athletic Director made note of the ap-
Sports have been postponed to accomadate public health and saftey concerns, and to slow the spread of COVID-19. Updates on when the Lady Toppers are expected to be back in action can be found on hilltoppersports.com.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2020
PAGE 8
TRUMPET STAFF
Goodbye Old Trumpet, Hello to the Future! Meet the staff! ing future of the Trumpet.
Starting in 1921 as West Liberty’s student-run newspaper, The Trumpet was only available in print edition. As of 2020, the paper will be transforming into an entirely online presence while simultaneously celebrating it’s one hundredth year of publication.. The Trumpet’s media conversion will consist of a new page layout, digital media, branding, and motto— The Student Voice on the Hilltop. The first issue is set to be published on September 17 using its new platform, Issuu. Issuu will be used to house the old archived newspapers from the very first issue to the most recent one. These publications will be accessible via your laptop or smartphone. If you would like to be part of our team, please attend our meetings from noon to 12:30 on Wednesdays starting on September 16. We are looking for contributing writers, animators, cartoonists, videographers, photographers, sports fanatics, political enthusiasts, and critics to name a few! All majors are invited, welcomed and encouraged to attend weekly meetings.
Lauryn Fridley is serving as a videographer intern this semester. She is a senior Broadcasting major with a minor in Journalism. Fridley is from Shepherdstown, West Virginia. She has always loved reading the newspaper and working for the Trumpet, but giving it a new modern look will be amazing! Lauryn is excited to provide the Trumpet with a new makeover it deserves. Fridley will be graduating from West Liberty in November! Morgan McFadden has been hired as a digital media designer. She is a third-year student at West Liberty University in the Digital Media and Design major. She is from Yorkville, Ohio. McFadden is a senator on West Liberty’s Student Government and the Secretary of the Game Club. This year, McFadden decided to take on the television crew as a second job on campus to give her more experience. She enjoys writing, reading, video editing, watching television, and movies. This year, McFadden is looking forward to getting out of her comfort zone and working with her fellow Trumpet staff to create a new experience for every reader at West Liberty. Morgan Kafana was hired to fill the new position of graphic
designer. She is a freshman at West Liberty University. In high school, Kafana enjoyed working on her high school newspaper; she is now majoring in journalism and can’t wait to start working for The Trumpet. School usually keeps her busy, but she loves to write, spend time with family, and see her close friends in her free time. Creed Kidney is a freshman at West Liberty University and is pursuing a degree in Visual Communications and Design. He graduated from John Marshall High School in 2020 and is from Glen Dale, West Virginia. Creed was an active member of his high school theater troupe, Monarch Company, concert, marching, steel pan band, Leo club, and the swim team. Despite his epic high school career, he hopes to focus more time in pursuing his art while on the Hilltop. Creed is thrilled to join the Trumpet as the Online Editor in his first semester at West Liberty. He is excited to create new relationships with his peers, the faculty, and staff with this position.
Anna Johnston will serve as a sports editor for the newspaper this year. Johnston is from Edinburgh,
All meetings will be held remotely this semester due to COVID-19. Please attend using this link: https://westliberty.zoom. us/j/9186214872. The Trumpet staff added new roles for this semester. Hanna Perry is interning as a culture editor and is in her fourth-year at West Liberty University as a Journalism major with a Photography minor. She is from Wheeling, West Virginia and currently serves as the President of the Warwood Lions Club. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, listening to music, watching television, movies and spending time with her family and cat, Cali. Perry is ready to take her skills and flex them in the upcom-
(Photo Credits: The Trumpet Staff)
United Kingdom, and she is a political science major with a minor in Journalism. She also is a team member on West Liberty’s soccer team. Her former experience and love for sports are two experiences that grabbed her attention for the position at the Trumpet. Anna is excited to be part of the Trumpet staff and looks forward to the upcoming year with great optimism.
Annalise Murphy has been rehired as editor-in-chief for the second year. She is a sophomore at West Liberty University and is double majoring in Journalism and Criminal Justice. Although Journalism is her main focus, she one day hopes to get involved in crime writing and reporting or even investigative journalism. Murphy hopes that having a dual degree in two work fields she passionately cares about will open up more job opportunities in the future. Some of Murphy’s hobbies include reading, writing, running, kayaking, and spending time with her family and friends. Murphy is excited to start the school year and be a part of the Trumpet with her fellow staff members and contributors. Danielle Mehlman-Brightwell is the new faculty adviser and is an instructor of Media and Visual Arts. She has a B.A. from Wheeling Jesuit University, an M.A.E. from Muskingum, and an M.A. from Bowling Green State. Currently, she is a Ph.D. candidate at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She serves as assistant editor for the Journal of Communications Media Studies and co-executive producer for Newsline 14 on Topper Station. Her research interests span both mass communication and political communication by studying the effects of mass media on citizens’ communicative activity. She enjoys kickboxing, kayaking, and is happy to be a part of The Trumpet team and centennial celebration coming up in 2021. Sarah Davis, professor of Visual Communications and Design, is collaborating with Professor Melman-Brightwell to create a new and improved rebrand of the Trumpet to bring the 100-year-old paper into the modern age.