Saturday, March 15, 2025
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Food Poisoning Fiasco: Everything We Know About Transy’s Culinary Calamity

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Yesterday, April 11th, a sequence of events in The Great Hall, known colloquially as ‘The Caf,’ raised many questions and concerns amongst the Transylvania community. It all began when the usual lunch programming from 11:00am-2:00pm was postponed by a fire-related emergency, and would later be canceled altogether due to complications in the kitchen. Dinner and Late-Night service proceeded as usual, but students began to notice something that most individuals would overlook.

Yesterday also happened to be the date of a standard health code inspection. With a previous score of 100 and a mostly consistent history of passing scores, students were shocked at the failing score of 86. While that would count as a “B” on your final exams, this score is similar to a “D” in the eyes of health inspectors, as a score less than 85 would constitute a process that might lead the facility to be shut down. More curious was the fact that the inspection notice was covered up by a miscellaneous sign during dinner hours, a small move that slid past many unsuspecting students. Once revealed, the health code inspection listed violations of the following requirements: Good Hygienic Practice, Protection from Contamination, Temperature Control for Safety, Utensils/Equipment, and Physical Facilities.

Many students took notice of the rather disturbing situation, including SGA President Tate Ohmer ‘23, who took it upon himself to ask questions and get to the bottom of what was going on. While discussing the matter with cafeteria staff, Tate discovered that one of the major reasons for the low score was food contamination issues likely relating to storage units that date back to the days of Bon Appétit’s predecessor, “Sodexo,” who provided Transylvania’s meals until the end of the 2018-2019 academic year. Tate went on to ask the facility manager Chris Harris to weigh in, who stated that a follow-up would occur in 10 days and that the current situation was “not a big deal.”

Some of Transylvania’s students may disagree, however, with a recent spike in cases of what is being identified as food poisoning by those who are experiencing it. The Rambler’s own Madalyn Stump ‘25 began feeling sick on April 5th with a stomachache unlike anything she had felt before. With many other severe symptoms becoming prominent, Stump went to the U.K. Hospital to get checked out, where she was put through many tests and trials that would cost her hundreds of dollars. “All of my tests came back negative but the doctor told me that there’s a chance that the tests aren’t always accurate, that I could have food poisoning,” reports Stump.

Before leaving, her doctor informed her that “A few Transy students came in [to the hospital] with food poisoning and bacteria in their stomachs.” Madalyn decided to share this with her peers, and replies began flooding in with similar cases being reported among individuals and their friends. The common thread? They had all gotten sick after eating food from the cafeteria. This is especially alarming for students like Stump. “The only thing I eat is the food here at Transy because it’s all I can afford,” she admitted, and she is certainly not the only one. While many students can avoid eating in The Great Hall until conditions improve, those like Stump will have no other choice but to eat there with the looming risk of food poisoning. Will students with meal plans be compensated in any way? Will consequences fall on whoever hid the inspection scores? There are many questions still left unanswered, and only time will tell what is to come of this situation.

The Rambler will continue to cover this story as necessary. Tate Ohmer hopes to take action along with the rest of SGA to solve this ongoing issue on our campus. If you want to get involved, contact him at wtohmer23@transy.edu, and if you feel sick after eating at ‘The Caf,’ make sure to report it at https://transylvania.cafebonappetit.com/.

Image Credits to Transylvania University and Tate Ohmer.

Recap: Transylvania Community Celebrates Women’s Basketball Championship with Public Rally

After winning the Division III National Championship in Dallas, Transylvania University’s women’s basketball team received a warm welcome when they returned to Lexington. The stands of the Clive M. Beck Center were packed with supporters on April 5th for the celebration of the team that made school history. 

Dr. Sharon Brown shared what the team’s win meant to her in the fiftieth year of Title IX. She recalled that as a young girl she played baseball on her brother’s team, which her father coached. “I went to every practice and played shortstop at every scrimmage, but when it came to game day I had to sit on the bench… because I was a girl,” said Brown. She explained that as a young woman, she was frustrated about being excluded on the basis of gender. Her frustration led to motivation, and Brown began her town’s first little league softball program. She described how excited she was as she watched the Transylvania women’s basketball team win the national championship in Dallas. She said, “What I experienced in Dallas was unimaginable to my eleven-year-old self sitting on the bench keeping score for my brother’s game.” She expressed to the team that because of Title IX, many women have blazed the trail before them including Vice President of Athletics, Holly Sheilly, and their coach Juli Fulks. “Now you have become mentors for other girls and young women… you have taught us to dream and to dream until our dreams come true.” 

Following Dr. Brown, President Brien Lewis made his own statement. He congratulated the team on their undefeated season and national championship win. “We’re so proud; not just of what you did, but how you did it… You carried yourselves with class, with passion, with outstanding sportsmanship. Your focus was unbelievable” said Lewis. “You are truly the new gold standard in Kentucky basketball.” To shine some light on just how remarkable the team’s accomplishments have been, Lewis shared some eye-opening statistics. “Some of you may know that Division III is the largest division in the NCAA in terms of the number of institutions that participate. Women’s basketball is the largest field of competition in NCAA Division III… So, Pioneers… you are on the very top of the biggest mountain in collegiate sports.” 

Afterward, Lexington mayor Linda Gorton spoke and celebrated the accomplishments of the Transylvania women’s basketball team. She presented head coach Juli Fulks and the entire team with the “Spirit of Lexington Award.” Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman was also in attendance for the event. She first addressed the women’s basketball team with a powerful message that stressed the importance of those that came before them and those who supported them along the way. “Your journey started a long time ago before any of you even knew each other. And that trail was blazed by so many talented players who have played here along the way and built this program.” As a way to honor the team, the Lt. Governor presented each of the coaches and players with the highest honor bestowed by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, being named a Kentucky Colonel. 

Vice President of Athletics Holly Sheilly also expressed her excitement for the championship win. She recognized the alumni that helped build the program and continue to support it. She said that the national championship trophy also belongs to them as well as everyone who supported the team on their journey to Dallas. She thanked everyone who supported the team, which was now one of only 90 teams in all of NCAA Division III to have won a national championship. 

Senior Madison Kellione, a highly accomplished player on the championship team, spoke next on behalf of herself and the entire team. She thanked Lexington and the Transy community for their continuous support. She shared how her experiences before coming to Transy made her strive to win a national championship, and how basketball has opened many doors for her, including the opportunity to meet Dr. Jill Biden and Billy Jean King while in Dallas. 

To wrap up the event, head coach and HCAC Coach of the Year Juli Fulks spoke to celebrate her undefeated team. She shared how grateful she was for all the support that the team and coaches received during their efforts to reach the goals they set last May. Fulks said, “We collectively went through last season and why we thought it was so amazing, but then were really honest in our vulnerabilities on the court, as people, of what we thought might have held us back… not talking about it really, everybody wrote their dreams for their life, and not just basketball… and everybody wrote ‘win the national championship.’” This full circle moment described by coach Fulks truly captured what the championship meant to her and the team. 

As Transylvania’s first national championship win, the well-deserved title that the women’s basketball team brought home represents years of hard work and dedication from not only the players and coaches, but also alumni, administrators, and the Transy community as a whole.

Thumbnail Image retrieved from T-Notes

Dancing in Dallas: Transy Women’s Basketball Claims National Title

It might have been April 1st, but the Transylvania University women’s basketball team taking the National Championship Title is the furthest thing from a joke. Our women’s basketball team made history on Saturday as not just the first Transylvania sports team to appear in a national championship, but also becoming the first to win a national title. 

The team has been breaking records since last season when they made it to the Elite Eight for the first time in the program’s history. This season, they made history once again when they made it to the Final Four, beating New York University 79-63 and moving on to play Smith College. The team had their eyes on the prize as they secured a 76-65 win over Smith to gain a spot in the National Championship. No. 1 ranked Christopher Newport Captains and No. 2 ranked Transylvania Pioneers would go head to head for the National Title. 

The only way to describe the energy at the American Airlines Center on Saturday morning was electric. Transylvania fans and alumni traveled hundreds of miles to show their support for the team. The Transylvania Volleyball Team was there cheering on their fellow athletes, and President Brien Lewis, too, showed his continued support. Some fans had caught overnight flights and some, like myself, did the twelve-hour road trip from Lexington to Dallas. After an exciting and undefeated season, Transy fans were fired up and ready to watch the team take what was rightfully theirs. 

The first quarter began with Christopher Newport taking an early lead of 12-6, but after a quick timeout from Transy, the Pioneers were able to get the score to 15-12 Captains. The second quarter saw Transy finding their groove and with a well-placed three from Kennedy Harris (‘24) Transy took the lead with 20-18. By the end of the first half the score was 23-21 Transy, and the team had successfully shaken the also undefeated Captains. The excitement in the stadium was palpable. The beginning tastes of victory had Transy fans screaming for more. 

The second half began with Transy building on their lead with the score being 36-29 with two minutes left in the third quarter. The Pioneers continued to push the Captains, ending the quarter 39-32 Transy. The last quarter of the game had every person in the crowd on the edge of their seats if they weren’t already on their feet. With just two minutes left on the clock, the score was 47-47. This was the team’s last chance to leave everything they had on the court. With two sunk free throws from Kellione the crowd watched intensely to see if our defense could hold the Captains at bay. A lay-up from Thornton and free throws from Stacy had the score 55-49 Transy. The Captains saw a brief glimpse of hope after a three put the score at 55-52, but a CNU foul had Laken Ball making two final free throws with two seconds remaining. Transylvania had secured a 33-0 record and the title of National Champions with a final score of 57-52. After the historical season they’ve had, there could not have been a more perfect ending.

Madison Kellione, a senior on the team, made history yet again by receiving the Elite 90 award for maintaining a 3.96 GPA while also having an undefeated season. She also led the game in points, scoring 17 of 57. Senior Daisa Thornton achieved a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Kennedi Stacy finished with 8 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 steals–almost a triple-double! 

This team has put their all into the game and into each other, and it shows on the court. They move as a unit, playing as five parts of a fantastic whole. Congratulations to Coach Fulks, the entire coaching staff, and the brilliant players for a season that will go down in history! 

There will be a welcome home celebration for the team on Wednesday, April 5th at 3:30pm in the Clive M. Beck Center!

“Reviving” the Concerning Past of Asbury University

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Asbury University, a local college in Wilmore, KY, has garnered an influx of attention due to the revival that has recently happened on its campus. It began on the 8th of February, 2023, and started after the choir and worshipers continued to worship after the service ended. This service reached over 20,000 people during the last weekend of February, congesting the town that normally holds around 6,000 people. There has seemed to be a flocking to this revival and has reached people from Finland, the Netherlands, and all across the nation. There has been a resurgence of revivals all around the US and includes other KY schools such as the University of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, and Kentucky Christian University. This revival hit the 2-week mark on February 22nd and had its closing night on the 23rd due to the effects that it had on academia and professors. 

While this is a great display of faith among students of Asbury and around the world, there have been questions raised about the event. The attitude surrounding the revival has been split. There have been concerns expressed by Wilmore locals about the excess traffic into the area that is causing backup into residential driveways. There have been exclamations made that the Asbury Revival is “what heaven looks like”, and this sentiment excludes a significant chunk of the population. From the videos that have been taken of the revival, there is a lack of representation of BIPOC. There are approximately 1,700 students who attend Asbury and out of those there are 56 international students, 56 Hispanic students, and 55 black or African American students. With the population of students being predominantly white, this lack of diversity from within the college explains those who have experienced the revival; but it also brings up the question of why there is a lack of representation of the revival that is said to be open to all. 

While the revival lacks a representation of non-white students, the institution as a whole also has had a negative past surrounding LGBTQ students, legislation, and support. There have been many concerns for LGBTQ students who have experienced numerous accounts of discrimination from Asbury University. This not only includes students, but faculty. Per Linda Blackford at the Lexington Herald-Leader, “two popular and beloved faculty – Jon Roller [Worship Arts program] and Jill Campbell [music education] – were told their contracts would not be renewed,” the reason being that “they were supportive of Asbury’s LGBTQ students.”  There has been some backlash towards the revival due to the Kentucky State Senate bill that passed during the revival which is a discriminatory bill that targets LGBTQ students. A sophomore from Transylvania University Isa Slaughter has shared some of her opinions on the matter, “The fact that Christians are able to gather to share in their love and devotion to their community and have it garner national attention while a huge portion of our country is fighting for their right to exist is painful. Especially when the community that gets to freely express themselves is historically one that has ostracized anyone who does not conform to their beliefs–especially the LGBTQ+ community.”  Like many students I’ve had to privilege of speaking with, there is no hatred or frustration directed to their free expression, rather it is the community that has a negative past involving LGBTQ+ students that have made many challenges the recent events over at Asbury.

Transylvania Women’s Basketball Advances to National Championship for First Time in Program History

On Saturday, March 18th, the #2 Transylvania Pioneers Women’s Basketball team defeated the #4 Smith College Pioneers in the Final Four in Hartford, Connecticut, advancing to the National Championship game for the first time in program history. The Pioneers improve to a perfect 32-0 on the season and will play for the National Championship against #1 Christopher Newport on April 1st in Dallas, Texas. 

Hosting the Sweet Sixteen in the Beck Center on March 10th, Transylvania faced off against the #16 Ohio Northern University Polar Bears. Unlike the back-and-forth contest against Milikin in the Second Round, this was a game firmly controlled on all levels by the Pioneers throughout. 5 three-pointers in the first quarter led to a 12-point lead after the first quarter that was never relinquished. A 17-0 run in the third quarter, as well as 25 points off of 20 Ohio Northern turnovers, would secure a Pioneer victory long before the final score of 67-43 was set. The Pioneers would play in the Elite Eight the next day, the round where the 2021-2022 team suffered their first and only loss of the season to Trine University. This year, the Pioneers would compete against the #6 New York University Violets for the right to advance to the final four for the first time in program history. The two teams went back and forth throughout the first quarter, with Transylvania taking a one-point lead after ten minutes. That lead was never relinquished, as the Pioneers would outscore the Violets 21-9 in the Second Quarter and have a lead as large as 20 points in the second half. Seniors Kennedi Stacy, Dasia Thornton, and Madison Kellione would each score 20 points en route to a 79-63 Transylvania victory.

One week later on March 18th, the Pioneers would play in their first final four game in program history against the #4 Smith College Pioneers, who boasted an impressive 30-1 record and a talented team that included WBCA National D3 Player of the Year Morgan Morrison. The final four was held at the Ray Oosting Gymnasium on the campus of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. While the venue was chosen as a neutral site, the proximity of the arena to Smith College, with it being a 49-minute drive from the campus, turned the match into a de-facto road game for the Pioneers. The first quarter would be closely contested, with several lead changes and an eventual three-point lead for Smith College after 10 minutes. Transylvania would take the lead and begin to pull away in the latter half of the second quarter due to increased offense as well as foul trouble for Smith, culminating in a 57-42 lead for Transylvania after three quarters. Smith would begin a furious comeback attempt in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 69-64 with a jumper by Ally Yamada with a little over two minutes remaining. On the subsequent Transylvania possession, Senior and WBCA First Team D3 All-American Madison Kellione would make a three-pointer at the top of the key to bring the lead back up to eight. On their next possession, Transylvania would use most of the shot clock before Kellione would drive to the rim and draw a critical fifth foul on Morrison. Kellione would make both free throws to cement an eventual 76-65 win and national championship berth. 

With this win, the Pioneers have advanced to the Division 3 National Championship game and improved their undefeated record to 32-0, by far the best mark in school history. Transylvania will face the #1 Christopher Newport Captains in the title game. The Captains are one of the few teams who have been ranked ahead of the Pioneers this season, as well as one of the few other teams that went undefeated in the regular season. The National Championship game will be held in the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas on April 1st at 12:00 P.M.

Transy Women’s Basketball Advances to Second Straight Sweet Sixteen; Remains Undefeated

On March 4th, the #2 Transylvania Pioneers Women’s Basketball team defeated the #15 Millikin University Big Blue in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Sweet sixteen for the second year in a row. The Pioneers also improved their undefeated record to 29-0, now the most wins in program history. 

The Pioneers opened the NCAA Tournament in the Beck Center on Friday the 3rd with a matchup against the Rhodes College Lynx, the SAA Conference Champion. The Pioneers would lead the low-scoring affair for the entire game, leading by 8 points at the end of the first quarter and more-or-less maintaining or slightly improving on that margin through the entire game. The key difference in this game, a 58-45 Transylvania victory, was the opportunistic Pioneer defense, with seven steals and 12 points off turnovers in the first quarter alone. The Pioneers were led by senior Dasia Thornton, who earned a double-double with a season-high 16 rebounds, and senior Kennedi Stacy, who led the Pioneers with 20 points. 

The Pioneers would be challenged further in the second round on Saturday the 4th, where they would face the #15 Millikin University Big Blue, the champion of the CCIW Conference. The environment in the Beck Center for this game was electric, with droves of students and Transylvania fans, as well as a large contingent of Millikin supporters, cheering on their teams. The Big Blue would come out swinging with impressive three-point shooting, but the Pioneers would recover to take a 36-24 into halftime. Milliken would go on an impressive run during the third quarter to tie the game at the start of the fourth. But after that, the Pioneers would take control with a dominant fourth quarter, outscoring the Big Blue 25 to 13 in the quarter, with many of the Millikin points coming when the game was already out of reach, on route to a 71-59 victory. 

With this win, the Pioneers advance to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. They also improved their record to a perfect 29-0, undoubtedly the best in program history. The Pioneers also entered last year’s Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight undefeated, a mark they hope to match and surpass with the games this weekend. The Pioneers will face the #16 Ohio Northern University Polar Bears in the Sweet Sixteen on Friday, March 10th at 7:00 P.M. in the Beck Center. If they win that game, the Pioneers would advance to the Elite Eight the following day and face the winner of a match between the New York University Violets and the Trine University Thunder.

President Lewis Hosts All-Campus Town Hall; Provides Updates on Facilities, Grants and Finances

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On February 23, President Brien Lewis hosted the virtual town hall meeting for the winter semester. Lewis addressed important items from the February Board of Trustees meeting, as well as providing updates on ongoing and future facilities projects on campus, new grants that have been received by the university, Transylvania’s ongoing financial picture, and many more topics. 

While coming later in the town hall, the likely topic of most interest for the general student body is ongoing facilities projects. The clear elephant in the room in regards to campus facilities is Hazelrigg Hall, which has sat empty for nearly two years. President Lewis restated his recommendation to the Board of Trustees that Hazelrigg be redesigned as a technology center with “flexible classrooms and lab spaces.” President Lewis spoke to his hopes that Hazelrigg could show Transylvania’s commitment to technological advancement, stating, “[Hazelrigg] will be a real visual beacon for anyone who comes to the campus to see that we are engaging with innovative and cutting-edge technologies for the benefit of our students.” Lewis also claimed that a top priority would be getting what he called the “Hazelrigg diaspora,” that being professors who once had offices in the hall, back in Hazelrigg. Beyond Hazelrigg, President Lewis also announced refurbishments and renovations to the Cowgill Center and the Rosenthal apartments that will be completed over the summer, the addition of card-access to all buildings on campus that don’t currently support it, and continuation of land-use planning for the open 4th Street lot. 

When summarizing the events of the Board of Trustees meeting on February 17th, which was called “a historic day,” President Lewis specifically highlighted a proposal by the Bingham Trust for Excellence in Teaching, a proposal that “enthusiastically endorsed and accepted” by the Board. The Bingham Trust, an organization that has former Transylvania president John Norton Williams Jr. as its executive director, has had a relationship with Transylvania since its founding in 1987, and has provided support through awards that shine a light on excellence in teaching. The Bingham Trust Board, in an effort to deepen the relationship with Transylvania, has approved a grant of up to $25 million over the next 15 years to fund teaching excellence awards. President Lewis acknowledged that not every detail of the new program was set in stone and that more questions would be addressed in a future forum. But he also assured that the program was reflective of proposals from the Faculty Concerns Committee, and that more details would be coming the way of faculty in the near future. President Lewis finished by calling the grant, “a very historic and exciting step for Transylvania and our commitment to excellence in teaching and excellence in education.”

However, not all topics brought up in the Town hall were nearly as positive. This was especially true of the tone when President Lewis moved on to discussing the financial situation of the university, which he contrasted to the earlier exciting news by calling it a “not-so-fun thing.” President Lewis emphasized that while enrollment had remained steady over the past few years, even out-performing some national trends, tuition revenue had not. This is because due to, as he put it, “increased competition for a shrinking pool of students,” there have had to be increased discount rates on tuition for prospective students. While President Lewis was confident in the short-term financial health of the university, he stressed the importance of addressing long-standing structural issues. The university has had to restructure its long-term debt, and when combined with other pressures such as wage increases, health care costs that work on a different calendar, and rising inflation, the university’s net cash deficit for this fiscal year is approximately $2.8 million. Some of this is covered by Covid relief funds, but that is far from a permanent solution. President Lewis reiterated the need to address these issues, stating, “We need to take action now in building our budget for the coming year to maintain as much stability and flexibility as we can going forward.” This involves reducing spending in the next three fiscal years by roughly 2.3% a year, which President Lewis described as “not draconian, but something we need to be serious and thoughtful about.” Lewis acknowledged that it was possible that “we will see some positions go away over this period of time,” but claimed it would mainly be through retirements and “recalibrating” positions once they become open. But overall, the university is counting on increased revenues from increased enrollment and retention, areas which have seen positive growth in the past few years, as well as enhanced fundraising.

Many topics were addressed by President Lewis, ranging from rankings and admissions to fundraising and community support, all with an eye to building towards Transylvania University’s 250th anniversary in 2030. If you wish to watch the Town Hall for yourself, a link to the recording was posted in the February 24th edition of the Daily TNotes that are emailed to all students.

Transy Women’s Basketball Wins Fifth straight HCAC Tournament Title; Improves to 27-0 on the Season

On Saturday, February 25th, the Transylvania Pioneers Women’s Basketball team clinched the Heartland Collegiate athletic conference tournament title for the fifth year in a row, defeating the Hanover College Panthers 85-58 in the championship game. With this win, the Pioneers continue a historic two-year run, moving to 27-0 on the season as they look towards the upcoming NCAA tournament. 

Transylvania entered the HCAC tournament as the number-one seed after going undefeated in regular-season conference play. The Pioneers faced the number five seeded Bluffton University Beavers in the semifinals on Friday the 24th, and were able to secure a fairly comfortable 82-55 victory, led by a 21-point and 19-rebound double-double performance by Senior Dasia Thornton. The next day, the Pioneers faced the number two-seeded Panthers in the Championship game. The game was extremely close in the first half, with the score being tied at 21 a piece at the end of the first quarter and a late three-pointer by Senior Kennedi Stacy giving Transy a one-point lead at the break. The Pioneers would pull away in the third quarter, outsourcing Hanover by a margin of 29 to 8. The Pioneers were able to easily protect this lead in the fourth quarter, ultimately coming away with a commanding 85-58 victory. 

The HCAC Conference Tournament victory marks the Pioneer’s fifth in a row, an impressive streak dating back to the 2018-2019 season. This also improves the Pioneer’s undefeated record to 27-0, the best in program history. The Pioneers are ranked the Number 2 team in the nation by D3hoops.com, tied for the highest in program history with last year’s team, which went undefeated until the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament. Transylvania also had quite a few appearances in the HCAC All-Conference Honors. Senior Madison Kellione was named Co-Player of the Year, Senior Kennedi Stacy was named Defensive Player of the Year, Coach Juli Fulks was named Coach of the Year, Kellione, Stacy, and Senior Dasi Thornton were named to All-Conference First Team, and Senior Laken Ball was named to All-Conference Second Team. This is in addition to Tournament Honors, where Kellione and Thornton were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Thornton additionally being named Tournament MVP. 

By earning a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Pioneers have home-court advantage at the Beck Center through the first four rounds of the tournament. Transy will host the Rhodes College Lynx in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at 8:15 P.M. on Friday, March 3rd in the Beck Center. If the Pioneers advance to the second round, they would face the winner of a game between the Emory University Eagles and the Millikin University Big Blue at 8:30 P.M. on Saturday the 4th. After that, they would face more opponents in the Beck center the subsequent week in an effort to match and surpass last year’s mark of the Elite Eight, the best in program history.

Peter “The Moon Guy” Lands on Campus; Raises Concern

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Students traveling to and from class this morning were met with a surprise as a moon-landing denier and flat-Earther was flagging down passersby with a quick lecture on his beliefs. 

Peter “The Moon Guy” Jarvio arrived on campus this morning, Friday the 24th, with his posters and flat-Earth models hoping to “spread the truth” to students here at Transylvania. Rambler Editor Seth McKinney and I took the time to interview him and see what this was all about. 

Over the past 3 years, Jarvio has independently traveled to college campuses across Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and other states to share what he believes is the truth. “It’s kind of a hobby,” he stated. Transy marks the 31st university he has visited to “expose the lies” of the moon landing and the spherical Earth. He gives a minute-long speech, along with 3D-printed flat-Earth models, to everyone willing to listen. He also provided a list of “educational sources” on a YouTube-alternative website called BitChute.com, which is known for containing far-right ideologies, conspiracy theories, and hate speech.

His presence caused quite a stir and seemed to be the talking point of Campus today. By request, he even made an appearance in Dr. Partain’s FYRS class called “Stalking the Weird,” which discusses conspiracy theories and the spread of false information. Freshman student Asa Thomas recounted the event, stating that Jarvio “gave [the class] a more in-depth talk about flat-Earth and his belief in it.” Thomas found some of his statements harmful. For example, Jarvio reportedly claimed during his moon-landing lecture that NASA, referring to the American Space Agency, is also the Hebrew term for deceive, which Thomas said, “raised a lot of red flags in [his] mind.”

Other students found his presence uncomfortable too, as he was flagging down anyone who walked by. He was strategically located by the crosswalk between the Campus Center and the academic side of campus. This choke point sees more human traffic than any other spot at Transy. Since he was located on the sidewalk, which is considered public property, Jarvio was free to do what he was doing, though DPS asked him to move out of the way of the crosswalk early on into his setup so that he was not blocking the path.

Jarvio remained at his post for many hours, and many students took the opportunity to discuss, debate, listen to, or even mess with him. He may not have changed many, if any, minds today, but he certainly raised some eyebrows.

SAHH and SGA Team Up for Food Drive

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From February 1st to February 15th, Students Against Hunger and Homelessness teamed up with the Student Government Association for a campus-wide food drive to benefit the Lexington Rescue Mission. At the conclusion of the food drive, the Rambler sat down with the co-presidents of SAHH, junior Transylvania students Aubrey Knop and Maggie Whaley, to discuss the origins of the club, the results of the food drive, and future opportunities for students to get involved. 

Students Against Hunger and Homelessness, which has been limited the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was relaunched and rebranded this year by Knop and Whaley as a way to give back to the Lexington community. The club has consistently met weekly to make sandwiches and deliver them to the Hope Center, a support center for the homeless located close to Transylvania’s campus.“Sometimes as college students we forget about the people around us in the Lexington community,” said Knop. “So we like to take people to the Hope Center to show who we’re helping directly. Our main goal is just to help others around us.” Whaley agreed with the benefits of making the sandwiches, saying, “I think it is really eye-opening to be able to see the impact that you are having on the people there. It made me very appreciative of what we do.”

Starting on February first, SAHH would work with the Student Government Association to host a two-week food drive, with drop-off stations for non-perishable food items being placed in nearly every dorm. The food drive would benefit the Lexington Rescue Mission, a long-standing charitable organization in the Lexington community. “Lexington Rescue Mission is very local to us,” said Knop. “We thought it was very important to help people around our Transy community because they do so much for us.” The exact totals for the food drive were not known at the time of the interview, but both Knop and Whaley were confident that they had collected 150-200 food items, with even more on the way. Both gave a special shoutout to one student who led the way by single-handedly donating 82 cans. Based on the success of this food drive, Whaley left the door open for future events and partnerships, saying, “If this drive is successful, which it seems like it has been, we’ll definitely consider doing things with other organizations again to get the whole campus involved and not just our members.”

Students Against Hunger and Homelessness meets every Wednesday at 5:30 P.M. in Rosenthal Commons to make sandwiches for the Hope Center. To get involved with the club and look out for future events, you can follow the SAHH Instagram account (@transy_sahh) and join the GroupMe chat that is linked in the bio, and any future events will also be announced in the Daily TNotes.

Weather

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